Kiss From A Rose
by Cupiditatis
Summary: SHE spent the past four years forced as a stripper to keep her younger sister safe.HE has a grandmother who will give her whole fortune to her first greatgrandson.BOTH make an agreement to give the other one what they need...AJAP
1. Prologue

Okay, so here is already the next story. (seems I can't even bring myself to stop writing when I have a complete exhausting week, but then I was mostly writing this in business studies, so at least I did something useful in that class :D)

**Disclaimer**: Well, let's see: I'm 21, about to be without a job in two months and don't have any money… so do you really think I could own ANYTHING from the Harry Potter Universe?  
If you answered this question with yes: Think again!  
I only own the persons you have never read or heard of before (which are enough, believe me)

**

* * *

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* * *

Kiss From A Rose**

_SHE spent the past four years forced as a stripper to keep her younger sister safe.  
__HE has a grandmother who will give her whole fortune to her first male great-grandson.  
__BOTH make an agreement to give the other one what they need: SHE gets safety for her sister and HE the wife and the son he needs._

* * *

Prologue

Santa Fé  
Argentina  
In 1998

Angelina held tightly onto her little sister. She carried the three-year-old child while she ran through the now dangerous streets of Santa Fé trying to avoid the wizards and witches who were gathering all non-purebloods together on the street. She hid in every alley available, in every niche, every dark corner.

Julia was crying silently against her shoulder, her little arms had a tight grip on the young woman's neck. Angelina stumbled into another alley, too afraid to use her wand to light the way she pressed herself along the wall, finally crouched herself behind something hard and large and pulled her wand out.

"Occultare!" she mumbled and made a circle with her wand. She just hoped she would be able to keep the hiding charm up long enough.

"I want mummy!" Julia cried against her shoulder and Angelina stroke the girl's back. To think that her parents had sent them here to keep them safe! But after Harry Potter had fallen, no place was safe! Not even Argentina as she experienced first hand right now.

Two days ago her passport and most of her money had been stolen from the small flat she and Julia stayed in. And in times like these it was fatal to lose one's passport. Without passport one was assumed to be a half-blood or muggleborn and thus already as good as dead!

The wizard world was ruled by Voldemort and his deatheaters. England, the whole of Europe was already in his control. Asia and Africa had almost fallen. Australia and both North and South America were soon to follow.

Voldemort had found many followers who were helping voluntarily to kill those who were not of pure blood before any deatheaters had even set foot on the land they lived in. Angelina had witnessed a mother and her baby being killed on the open street. And the bystanders had cheered.

Every day Angelina had waited to hear from her parents but the last time she had received a letter had been five weeks ago. She was losing all hopes to hear anything from them ever again. She opened the locket she had on a necklace around her neck and looked at the smiling images of her parents.

"Angie?" She looked at her younger sister and ran her knuckles over her cheek.

"I'll get you out of here Julia. I promise!"

Angelina felt her eyes getting heavy. She hadn't slept at all these last few days. And her body wanted, no, NEEDED sleep. And it needed sleep now! And maybe it was for the best that she was asleep during the next few hours. At least so she didn't have to see how a sleeping Julia was taken out of her arms and both of them were carried into an old, stinking house in which she awoke several hours later.

At first she couldn't see anything in the darkness but she felt an odd pain in her wrists, shoulders and ankles. It was when she tried to move that she noticed that her hands were bound on her back, her ankles bound by some rope as well. And she noticed that Julia wasn't there.

Panic started to rise inside of her. What had happened to her sister? Where was Julia? And where was she herself?

"So, you said you had something special for me?" she heard a deep voice asking from what seemed to be the other side of a door.

"Yes, an African. Pretty young, about twenty."

Angelina heard the squeaking of a door being opened and saw that the sun shone into the room.

"Well?" she heard the second voice ask. A pair of dragon skin boots was standing in front of her face and if she was right the skin was that of an endangered dragon. Crimson robes were falling onto the boots, shimmering in the light as though it was blood.

One of the boots touched her shoulder and made her lay on her back. She closed her eyes and feigned unconsciousness. Neither of the men had noticed that she was awake so far. She felt her robe being shifted and felt it open, revealing the white top she wore underneath.

"Mhm…seems good enough. How much?" the first man asked.

"1.000."

Angelina heard the jingling of money being handed over and slightly opened her eyes. She couldn't see much of their faces but she could see that 'dragonskinboot' had fat fingers with gold and silver rings on each single finger and thick bracelets on his wrists while the other man had thin bony hands.

"Hey mudblood!" she felt the dragon skin boot kicking her in the side obviously trying to wake her up. Angelina groaned and opened her eyes fully.

"Stand up!" The man told her and kicked her once more. The ropes binding her feet were suddenly gone and she was yanked to her feet by the bony-fingered man.

"Do as you're told mudblood!" he told her as he shoved her towards the fat guy. Now, Angelina could see that he had not only his hands completely in jewellery, around his thick neck were several necklaces, a thick golden one with a golden 'J' was the most flashy one. His white hair was gelled back and kept in a low ponytail by a black ribbon. When he opened his mouth she saw several gold teeth.

"Come." The man took her arm and pulled her towards the door.

"Where is my sister?" Angelina demanded and received a glare from the man pulling her out of the room.

"Shouldn't matter to you anymore. You have more important things to do from now on."

Angelina yanked herself free from his grip and stared unafraid at the fat man in front of her.

"Where is my sister?" she asked again.

"Jim, for 100 more I'll give you the little brat, too." She heard the other man say behind her. 'Jim' murmured something and finally handed over some more coins. The thin man walked towards another door and opened it. He walked into the room and when he came back out he was dragging Julia behind him.

"Angie!" Julia ran to her sister and hugged her legs. Obviously they hadn't thought a three-year-old to be a danger and hadn't bound her.

"Come!" This Jim-guy was yanking her forwards again and out of the house, Julia was following silently, her hand always trying to get a hold on her sister.

"Where are you bringing us to?"

"You will see soon enough!"

"I want to contact the English ministry this moment! You have no right to treat me like this!" Angelina said through gritted teeth while she tried to free herself of the ropes around her wrists.

"Shut up mudblood! You should be glad you're still alive! Those of your dirty kind are all dead but those that work for me. So you should rather thank me!"

"I'm a pureblooded witch and you will let me go this instant!" The man only laughed at this and pulled her farther through tiny, dark streets until they arrived some shabby house.

Above the door was a sign that said 'Milagro Rojo'. Angelina didn't know what would await her inside of this house, but she knew, it couldn't be any good!


	2. Saturday

I had already doubted I would still make it today (or rather tonight since it is 00:10 here) but I really made it. And now I'm tired! ( so don't expect any _real_ intelligent replies right now…)

**Tiarwen**: Yes, I think you've told me once or twice, but I won't stop you from telling me again :D And yes, this is the Angelina/Adrian Pucey story (and you spelled his name right) I hope your exams went well.

**Redcandle17**: Wow, it seems the English presentation I had to held that week also improved my writing :D But this one isn't an Angelina/Marcus fic. It is an Angelina/Adrian Pucey fic. But I have some ideas for more Angelina/Marcus fics, and I'm sure while writing this one I will come up with some new ones as well.

**TriGemini**: Oh, believe me, I'm too…

**danger.angel**: Thank you. I hope I'll be able to keep this interest up.

**Shea LaRoc**: I know the summary tells a lot but I hope I'll be able to have some surprises in it to make it not too boring.

**Angelface04**: Thank you. Yes, one should think that nothing worse can happen now, right?

**Ella Palladino**: Thank you. I hope I'll make the best out of the plot.

**

* * *

Chapter 1**

**Saturday**

She felt their eyes on her, stripping her before she could do so herself. She despised these men. And she was starting to despise herself for stripping in front of them. But there was still something that kept her from just trying to run away. Julia.

She couldn't leave as long as _'Big Jim'_ had her sister. And there was no chance he would let her go. Big Jim, as her _boss_ wanted to be called was the owner of a well-known club in Santa Fé, Argentina. For little money wizards had the chance to see those below them strip before their eyes. Some of the last living muggelborns and halfbloods were here and among them, a young pureblooded witch who couldn't prove her origin and had to keep her sister safe.

It had been four years ago that her parents had sent her to Argentina. She should take care of her three-year-old sister. Argentina was so far from England and Europe that the war of the wizard world would not affect the country in south America. Or so her parents had thought.

But it hadn't been safe at all. It was really a miracle that she was still alive. Or not really a miracle – but Big Jim. Big Jim was a brutal man. If one didn't do as he wanted they could soon be found lying beaten on the floor. The worst part about him though, was his grin. It was a merciless grimace rather than a grin. The golden teeth weren't helping the image of a monster at all.

She had ended up in Big Jim's club four years ago. A tiny room with nothing more than an old bed and a chair became her new home. Hers and that of her sister. Big Jim was a lot of things, but he was not stupid. He knew that having the little girl here, he had a way to force her to do as he liked.

And so she had become what she was today. A nothing. A stripper without a name. In the club she was announced as 'the black rose', standing there on stage in a black corset she had to strip in front of those hungry eyes who wanted to do more than look at her. But that was something she had so far successfully avoided.

But of course, the last bit of luck had to falter in this part of her life as well…

* * *

It was a Saturday.

She hated Saturdays! They were the worst of all days! Too many of _them_ were there on Saturdays. _They _were the men she had to strip in front of. Those men who were looking at her with their hungry eyes; who tried to touch her when she came too close to the edge of the stage; who called her a mudblood and other things when she didn't come to them when they called her.

It was Saturday and she had only half an hour left before she had to go on stage. She was putting on her corset and put the make up on in front of the tiny mirror in her room. Julia was watching her sceptically. Like always.

"You look ugly like this!" She told her older sister for about the millionth time.

"I know Julia, but I have no choice."

Julia said nothing. She may have only been seven years old but she already knew that she was the reason her sister had to do this. That her sister had to take her clothes off in front of men. They never talked about it, and her sister never blamed her or said mean things to her, but she still knew it. And she wished she could change it. But she knew that as a child she couldn't do much to help her sister, so she stayed back in the tiny room and tried not to cry when her older sister was gone. It was hard, and she barely managed it. But it was the only thing she could do in order to help her sister.

"I'll be back." Angelina whispered to her sister and kissed Julia's head before she left the room. Julia watched her sister leave and once the door had closed she interlace her fingers, closed her eyes and silently started to pray.

* * *

"Tell me again why we are here." Adrian asked his cousin while they entered the building. It looked as though the house could collapse every moment.

"I told you I have a surprise for you. To thank you for not telling anyone about that little incident in Rome." Dyson Everlast grinned at the younger man when Adrian snorted. The 'little incident' Dyson was talking about involved him and four witches in one bed in Rome. This wouldn't have been half as bad if only the witches had all been single. But one could trust Dyson to not make things so easy. Two of the witches were married to members of the Italian high society and another one was the wife of an English lord. And the only witch that was single was the daughter of the current minister of Magic of France.

"This looks rather like a punishment than a thank you." Adrian mumbled while he followed his cousin into the bar. Several men were sitting at tables around the room or at the bar, drinking, talking, and obviously waiting for something. He followed Dyson to the bar and sat down next to his cousin.

"I promise you, you will like this." Dyson grinned and ordered them two cocktails.

"Just wait and see." He said before the light went out and music started to play.

He had waited for almost an hour by now and had seen three young women stripping on the stage in the centre of the room.

"So you want to thank me by visiting a strip show?" Adrian asked and raised his eyebrows at his cousin who was barely able to part his eyes from the blonde woman on stage.

"No. I want to thank you by giving you a personal show when this here is finished. You just have to tell me which one of these _ladies_ you want." Dyson told him smiling and sipped on his cocktail while he watched as the next woman came out.

Adrian looked back towards the stage as well and frowned when he saw the dark-skinned woman there. She seemed oddly familiar.

"Ah, so you go for the real exotic one." Dyson said while he looked at his cousin. Adrian didn't listen to him; his eyes were glued to the woman on stage. He knew her from somewhere.

* * *

"Not so fast mudblood."

Angelina turned her head slowly around to face Big Jim who was holding her arm.

"You have another job tonight."

Angelina frowned at this. The only emotion showing on her face. Big Jim pulled her after him to the first floor of the building. Angelina tried to yank herself free from his grasp when they were heading upstairs. She knew what went on in the rooms upstairs.

"I'm not doing it." She told Big Jim who just snorted as a reply and shoved her towards the stairs.

"You will do as you're told mudblood." When Angelina only looked at him Big Jim narrowed his eyes at her. He hated that look. She was the only one of the mudbloods he had that had such an odd look on her face. Like a mask. The others had looks of fear on their face. Every once in a while that of resistance. But this dark bitch only had this mask plastered upon her face, showing no emotions at all.

"Your sister is growing up fast. There are enough men who would be interested in her."

"You wouldn't dare! She is only a child!"

"Either you go up there and are a very nice mudblood or your sister will be a _woman_ by tomorrow night."

Angelina went slowly upstairs; the thought of Julia kept her going.

"It's the first door." Big Jim yelled after her. Angelina closed her eyes for a moment before she opened the door and walked into the room.

* * *

Adrian couldn't believe he had Dyson let him talk into this. He was sitting on a chair in a corner of a shabby room. And the only reason he had agreed had been the fact that in the end he had recognized the woman. Underneath all that make-up and in this nothing of clothing he had recognized a woman he had used to play Quidditch against during school. A former Gryffindor. A pureblooded witch in such a place. He was more than curious to hear how she had ended up here.

When Angelina entered the room it took her eyes some time to get used to the darkness in there. The only light was that of some candles on a nightstand next to the bed. She tried to see who was in the room with her but there was no sign of any other human being in the room.

"Close the door." She almost jumped when she heard the calm voice from out of a corner. She took a step into the room and closed the door behind her.

"Please, sit down on the bed."

Angelina slowly walked towards the bed and sat down on the edge. She felt his eyes on her and heard him moving around in the corner. She heard him mumble something and felt the make-up on her face vanish.

"Why are you here?" he suddenly asked her and Angelina moved her head to look in his direction.

"What do you mean?" She heard him sigh in response before he talked again.

"You're a pureblooded witch and the daughter of a former professional Quidditch player, you can do magic, yet you are here in a shabby strip club for half- and mudbloods. Why?"

Angelina frowned at this.

"Who are you?" she asked confused.

"I asked first." Was his only reply and Angelina bit her lip. Finally she shook her head and told her story. How her parents had sent her to Argentina with her sister. How they had been caught and brought here. How Big Jim took her wand away from her.

"Now tell me who you are." She demanded and hugged herself. She found it very cold in the room. For several minutes she didn't hear anything before she heard his voice again.

"What would you do to get you and your sister back to England – safe?"

"Tell me who you are!"

"Answer me and I'll tell you."

"I would do anything!"

It seemed to get even colder when the man came out of the shadows. It only took her a second to recognize him: Adrian Pucey, former chaser on the Slytherin Quidditch team.

Her body tensed and all she wanted to do right now was run away from him as fast as possible. But she couldn't move. She just sat there on the bed, terrified, and showed the first real emotion outside of her own room since she worked there.

"Still doing anything to get out of here?" He asked her as he saw the look on her face. Angelina swallowed and the mask of indifference was soon back on her face.

"What do you want?" she asked, surprised at how calm her voice sounded.

"Marry me." Adrian told her as though he had just told her how the weather was outside.

* * *

Sorry it isn't very long, and not much is happening yet, but I wrote all week to get this far and I wanted to post it today. (I have to start learning for my final exams now. After all, it isn't long till the first week of July). 


	3. Hope?

**Tiarwen**: Ah I wish my exams would be easy (but of course this is nothing but wishful thinking…)

**TriGemini**: Ah, well, Angelina's reaction… let's just say, Adrian brings out more of the 'old' Angelina than anything/-one else in the past four years.

**Nikki**: Adrian Pucey is a chaser for Slytherin in PS, CoS, and OotP.

**xThe-Ravenx**: Thank you! I'm glad you like it!

**Ashliegh**: I'm glad you like everything so far, I hope this won't stop during the story.

**Shea LaRoc**: Glad you liked it!

**bratski**: Why not Argentina? I just needed a country far away from England and while watching some TV I came upon some report about Argentina. I have nothing against the country if that is what you thought.

**AngelinaJohnson-Weasley**: I'm glad you like it so far. And I promise a lot of Angelina/Adrian action.

* * *

Chapter 2

Hope?

"_What do you want?" she asked, surprised at how calm her voice sounded. _

"_Marry me." Adrian told her as though he had just told her how the weather was outside._

"Are you crazy!" was Angelina's immediate reply. For a moment she didn't care that she was facing a man who was probably a death eater. She didn't care what could happen to her or to her sister. She was too shocked at what he had just said.

Adrian walked slowly closer to the bed and took his black robes off. When he stood in front of her he put the robe around her shoulders.

"I'm not crazy." He said when he looked down at her.

"I'm merely offering you a way out of this '_establishment'_."

"By marrying you? Tell me again that you're not crazy!" Angelina dared him. Adrian sighed and ran a hand through his brown hair. It didn't really help though – some strands fell back into his face and almost hid his eyes again.

"Okay Johnson, listen to what I have to say and then you can decide if you want to get away from here or not." Adrian started and waited for her to agree. Angelina just shrugged and Adrian took this as a sign that she would listen.

"My grandmother decided that her first great-grandson of her will be her heir. My family is anything but a small one and most of my cousins are already married. Three of them already have children though they are all girls."

"You want me to marry you so you will get a son and thus get your grandmother's heritage?" Angelina asked him. Adrian nodded as an answer.

"Yes. In return I will get you and your sister out of this place. I will bring you back to England and there won't be anything you will miss. Your sister will be safe and get the best education you could wish for. And of course you wouldn't have to worry about money."

Angelina narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head. There had to be a catch somewhere.

"What would happen once I gave birth to your son?"

Adrian looked interrogatively at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Who can guarantee me that you won't just get rid of me once you have a son? And why would you want ME to marry you in the first place? Did you commit some crime or why else wouldn't you just search for a wife in England?"

"You pose many questions." Adrian sighed.

"Wouldn't you do so if you were me?"

Adrian nodded and answered her truthfully.

"I wouldn't _'get rid of you'. _And I don't want to marry a girl from England because I don't want to be bound for life to some trained lap dog who agrees with everything I say. Neither do I want some wife who will throw my money away. I want a wife who's able to think on her own, who has her own opinions and not just repeats mine all the time. I want someone whose spirit is free and who has some passion left inside of her. I want my wife to be my equal." Adrian's lips curved into a slight smile "You're probably the only pureblooded witch to whom all these attributes fit."

When he looked at Angelina he saw that she was considering all he had just said.

"Think about it. It can't really get any worse for you or your sister than this!" he moved his hand, showing that he meant the club. Angelina knew he was right. It could only become better than this. So she made her decision.

"I agree." She said and looked up to meet his eyes. "I have some conditions though." She added immediately.

"Good, as have I." Adrian said and waited for her to continue.

"I will be responsible for my sister's education. She will not hear that Muggleborns and Halfbloods are below Purebloods. And I don't want any child I give birth to be taken away from me!"

Adrian agreed with her conditions and Angelina sighed inwardly.

"What are yours?" She asked after a few seconds.

"For one: No affairs. For neither of us. You will be my equal in marriage and any children we will have will be raised by both of us. I promise you I will never hit you or rape you but you will have to sleep with me. So I don't want to hear excuses for you not being able to sleep with me every night."

"Okay." Angelina agreed although there is a part of her that fears she just made a deal with the devil.

* * *

They went downstairs and Adrian told one of Big Jim's Bodyguards that he demanded to speak to him immediately. It didn't take long before Big Jim came out of the room he called his office.

When he saw Angelina and Adrian standing there he narrowed his eyes at her and Angelina thought that nothing that would happen to her could be so bad as what would happen to her that night if she were to stay there.

"Did the little slut not behave properly?" Big Jim asked Adrian, not noticing the way the young man's eyes became cold when he spoke.

"I think you best change the way you address my fiancée!" Adrian replied coolly and Big Jim stared open-mouthed at him.

"Your… your… what?"

"You heard me. When I came here, my cousin said there were only mudbloods and halfbloods here. He never mentioned any pureblooded witches!"

"She isn't… she must have tricked you! This bitch is nothing but a low mudblood! I guarantee you!"

"Adrian, what the hell is going on here?" Adrian turned around to see Dyson.

"Your cousin has been tricked by this little bitch there! She made him believe she is a pureblood!" Big Jim told Dyson and made to grab Angelina's arm.

"Don't you dare to touch her!" Adrian said and stepped in front of Angelina.

"Dyson, do you remember Michael Johnson?" Adrian asked over his shoulder. Dyson thought for a moment and then looked at Angelina.

"She is his daughter?" He asked and pointed at Angelina.

"Yes, one of his daughters. The younger one is also held captive here." Adrian addressed Big Jim with his next words.

"You will bring her sister here immediately. If you don't I make sure that you will be sentenced for keeping Mudbloods alive. You know what would happen to you."

Angelina saw Big Jim pale several shades before he sent one of his bodyguards to get Julia.

"I believe you also have my fiancée's wand?"

Big Jim fought hard not to curse out loud. He made to turn around to get the wand when he heard Adrian talk to Angelina.

"Is there anything else he took from you?"

"A golden necklace and a locket."

Big Jim now _did_ curse silently as he walked into his office and came back out a few moments later. He practically threw the wand and the necklace into Adrian's outstretched hand.

"Angie?"

Angelina turned around when she heard her sister and kneed down, carefully so she wouldn't open Adrian's robe that still was around her shoulders. Julia ran to her sister and hugged her tightly. Angelina kissed Julia's head and stroke over her back.

"I kept my promise" she whispered to her younger sister. "We're leaving Argentina!"

* * *

Sorry it's short again, but I need to do something for my final exams and still wanted you to have something to read. I'll try to get a few pages done for next week as well since the first week of July I won't be able to write because that's the week of my finals. 


	4. Marble and Silk

Wow, I actually made it! I had already feared I wouldn't make it this weekend! But of course, when I had the choice between learning and writing this story the fun about writing soon won … :D Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

**TriGemini**: What a long review! I don't even know where to start… Adrian: well, his cousin will explain a bit more about Adrian in chapter 4, so I don't want to tell you too much about how I imagine him right now. And you are certainly right about Big Jim, no one cares what he thinks. :D

**Tiarwen**: Well, it seems as though there is no need to beg for another chapter, seeing that I couldn't stop myself from writing anyway… I just hope it turned out good enough to keep you waiting for the next one.

**Ashliegh**: Yes, but just a very small, tiny really hint of tension ;p

**Rupert's honey**: If you mean by OOC un-Slytherin-like then I think I can reassure you that the next chapter might show something else, for he hasn't been put in Slytherin for no reason. But I don't see him as the 'I'll just hit, annoy and insult everyone I see'- Slytherin. But you will see in Chapter 4.

**Numberfour**: Well, for Adrian's character, just read what I've written to **Rupert's honey**, Dyson will explain his character in Chapter 4. The locket doesn't have a real big significance, but it is the only thing Angelina has left of her parents.

**Ella Palladino**: I'm glad you like the pairing and the story so far. I hope neither will stop while I continue to write this.

**Angelface04**: Ah, I think I will be able to survive this one chapter you didn't review (although I'm badly wounded now, and I don't know if my heart will survive this again.) ;) I'm glad you like Adrian and I hope it won't stop.

**

* * *

Chapter 3**

**Marble and Silk**

It took them some time to reach the five-star hotel Adrian and Dyson were staying in. But Angelina enjoyed every single step that took her father away from that place. The closer they got to the hotel the more the scenery changed. Instead of small, old houses, the buildings became more modern and bigger and finally they reached the hotel.

"Wow!" Julia gaped at the building in front of her. She had never seen a building that had so many windows.

"Are we going to stay here?" she asked Angelina but instead of her sister one of the two men who were with them answered her.

"Only for a few days. Then we go back to England."

Julia looked up at her sister who smiled down at her and stroke her hair.

"Won't they say anything about her clothes?" Angelina asked and it was the first time since they had left the club that she talked. Adrian and Dyson looked at Julia's old dress. The colours had faded and it was obviously growing too small on her.

Adrian pulled his wand out and pointed it at Julia's dress. A short circled movement of his hand and the dress' colour grew stronger, revealing it to be a soft yellow.

"This should do for now. We will get the two of you new clothes anyway." Adrian said and led them into the hotel.

Inside the hotel looked even more amazing than from the outside. The floor was of marvel – beige marvel – and the many columns in the hall were made of the same marvel. A fountain, surrounded by flowers and green plants was the centre of the hall.

Julia looked around in awe at what she saw. She could barely remember how it had been in England when she was little but she was sure she had never seen something as beautiful as this. Would they really stay here? With these two strange men? She held tightly onto Angelina's hand when one of the men walked towards a counter where another man, dressed in a uniform stood. She watched as the man talked to the uniform-man and soon received two keys.

Adrian walked back towards his cousin and the two sisters and handed Dyson one of the keys. Adrian put his hand on Angelina's back and led them towards and elevator.

A few minutes later they stood in front of a double door on the ninth floor.

"I'll see you at dinner?" Dyson asked and Adrian nodded. Dyson bowed slightly to Angelina and Julia and grinned before he turned left and walked towards his own suite.

Once his cousin had left Adrian opened the door to his suite and led Angelina and Julia inside. They walked into some kind of living room. Two large couches, both a pale beige in colour stood in the middle of the room. There were two doors on opposite walls and Adrian led them towards one of them. He opened the door and walked into the bedroom. A king-sized bed and a drawer were in the room as well as a small couch, just big enough for two people to sit on.

"I thought the two of you might want to take a bath or a shower." Adrian said and pointed at another door in the bedroom.

"There are two bathrobes in there. Just leave your clothes in the basket in the bathroom. When you are finished there should be new clothes waiting for you in here." He said and walked back into the living room, leaving Angelina and Julia to go into the bathroom.

Angelina smiled down at her sister as she saw the disbelieving look on the girl's face. She took Adrian's robe of off her shoulders and put it on the backrest of the small couch before she walked with Julia into the bathroom.

Of course, the bathroom didn't lack the comfort and the luxury the rest of the hotel had already shown them. The bathroom was also held in beige – as probably everything in this hotel. In one corner of the room was the bathtub, in another one the shower. On the opposite wall were the toilette and a washbasin under which the basket Adrian had mentioned stood.

Angelina went towards the tub and filled it with water, looking fascinated at the many coloured bottles and flacons that stood on the edge of the tub. She took one which was labelled 'rose' and put some of it into the water. The scent of roses filled the room immediately.

"Smells good." Julia said and came closer to the bathtub. Angelina smiled at her and stroke through her hair.

"Come on, let's get into the water." She said and took her clothes off. She felt as though a weight had been lifted from her heart when she threw her clothes into the basket and saw how they disappeared right away. She stepped into the bathtub and Julia followed right after her, sighing as the warm water surrounded her.

"Angie, who are these two men?" Julia asked while Angelina shampooed her hair. Angelina stopped for a second before she continued to massage the shampoo into her sister's hair. Had she really thought earlier that it had been a rather long walk to the hotel? It hadn't been long enough! She hadn't thought about how she would explain the situation to her sister and she feared Julia wouldn't understand.

"Angie?" Julia asked again when her sister wasn't answering her. Angelina sighed and thought about where to start.

"I… I will … marry Adrian. The one who brought us into this suite." She said softly and waited for her sister's reaction. Julia frowned and turned around in the tub to look at her sister.

"Are you in love with him?"

Angelina sighed. If only it was so easy.

"No Julia. I'm not."

"Then why are you marrying him?" Julia asked confused.

"Julia, it's more complicated than that." She stroked a spot of shampoo away from her sister's cheek and smiled at her.

"We will get back to England. I think this is the most important thing now, right?"

Julia nodded slowly and let the matter drop. Maybe she would understand if she grew older.

"Lean your head back." Angelina told her and washed the shampoo out of Julia's hair.

* * *

Adrian was just sending a young woman with some packets away when he heard Angelina and Julia walking out of the bathroom. He walked back into the bedroom and saw them standing there in the two bathrobes which had been in the bathroom.

He walked towards the bed where several packets were lying and opened the first one. He pulled the paper back from the dress. He took the dress out of the packet and held it up to her.

"I hope you like this one, I thought you should wear it tonight to dinner." He told Angelina and showed her the dress.

Julia gaped at the dress Adrian held up to her sister. And Angelina also had to admit that it was one of the most beautiful dresses she had ever seen. It was a dark turquoise, short sleeved dress. The chest was covered with an additional lace pattern.

"It is beautiful." She said when she slowly took the dress out of Adrian's hand. The cool silk felt wonderful against her skin and she could only guess how it would feel to wear it.

"There are some more dresses in these packets as well as some shoes, underwear and something for you to sleep in." Adrian said and pointed at the boxes on the bed.

"The boxes on the couch are for your sister. I'll come back in twenty minutes to take you to dinner." And with this he left the sisters alone. Her curiosity got the better of her and Angelina laid the dress carefully on the bed to look into the other packets. Julia sat down on the edge of the king-sized bed and giggled when she sank into the soft mattress.

She watched Angelina open the next box and taking out a pink strapless dress with a second layer in pale pink with silver embroider on it. Just like the turquoise one this dress was made of silk and Angelina could barely believe what she was looking at.

"Open this one!" Julia said exited and pointed at the next box, pulling it closer to her sister while Angelina put the pink silk back into the packet.

She took the top from the packet and revealed a red dress made of velvet with black embroiders around the waist. The dress would be held up around her neck and leave her back free.

"You will look like a princess in these!" Julia smiled and stroke over the soft, shining material.

"What is this?" she asked Angelina.

"Velvet." Her sister answered her dumbfounded. There were still more boxes but she knew that she would better hurry to get herself and Julia dressed and ready for dinner.

She searched the boxes for a sign which of them would contain some underwear and soon she found a few boxes which were smaller than the ones of the dresses. She opened the first she got into her hands and found a black lace bra and briefs in it.

"Can we look at my dresses now?" Julia asked and jumped down from the bed. She walked towards the couch and slowly lifted the lid of the first box. She tentatively reached for the paper and pushed it aside.

Angelina saw her sister's face lit up when she saw the light blue dress that was lying in the box. Julia ran her hand gently over the soft material and looked at her older sister.

"Silk." Angelina whispered and Julia bit her lip.

"Do you think this is really for me?" she asked. Just because this man would marry her sister and gave her such pretty dresses didn't mean she would get such beautiful dresses as well, did it?

"Of course they are for you." Angelina smiled and took the dress out of the box. It had short sleeves and a thin silver belt around the waist. Angelina sighed when she remembered that Adrian still hadn't given her her wand and she had no chance of getting her hair in something one could call a hairstyle.

"Come, we search for your underwear and get dressed."

Julia nodded happily and made to open one of the smaller boxes.

* * *

It was exactly twenty minutes after he had left them when Adrian walked back into his suite accompanied by Dyson.

Adrian knocked at the bedroom door and a moment later Julia opened it and looked up at him. Adrian looked past her and saw Angelina sitting on the bed stepping into a pair of black sandals. Her hair was still slightly wet and was falling in curls past her shoulders.

When she arose from the bed their eyes met and for a moment they stood still.

Adrian walked past Julia and didn't stop until he was standing in front of Angelina. She looked gorgeous in the dress he had given her. Angelina consciously brought her hand to her hair and shrugged slightly.

"I couldn't really do anything with my hair without a wand…" she mumbled. She wasn't sure why, but standing so close to him now made her feel a bit uneasy. Maybe it was the look in his icy blue eyes. Maybe it was the way they travelled over her body before returning to her face.

It unnerved her that his face and his eyes were lacking any emotion. She didn't even think about the fact that she herself had mastered the masking of her emotions in the past years.

Adrian blinked once when he remembered that he still held her wand and her necklace. He searched his pockets for her wand and gave it to her.

As soon as she held the piece of wood in her fingers again, small red and golden sparks emitted from the tip of the wand. It was as though the wand would be glad to be home again.

When Angelina pointed the wand at her hair Adrian's hand darted out and he grabbed her wrist.

"Don't."

Angelina looked asking at him.

"I like the way your hair is now." He told her and turned her around. Angelina was looking straight into the mirror on the other side of the room when she saw the light hitting something in Adrian's hand.

He put the necklace around her neck and Angelina reached her hand out to gently touch the golden locket as it touched her skin. Adrian squeezed her shoulders lightly and Angelina turned her head in an attempt to look at him.

"I think we should go now." Adrian said and offered her his arm. He led her into the living room where Julia and Dyson waited for them. Dyson looked at Angelina and his eyes widened. He had to admit that his cousin had an exquisite taste. He really couldn't have found a more beautiful wife, Dyson was sure about this.

He wasn't surprised at the looks she received from the waiters in the hotel's restaurant during dinner. _'Camille and Aunt Marjory will absolutely hate this!'_ he thought with a small smile. _'And I will enjoy every second of our return to England.'_

* * *

Originally this chapter should have contained the wedding, the wedding night, and a long conversation between Dyson and Angelina about Adrian and the Pucey Family. But then the way there turned out longer than I had intended. So the next chapter will be what I just stated. 


	5. So much to talk about

Okay, so my final exams were …. Well, I can't think of a word that would be bad enough right now.

**TriGemini**: Oh, there is a lot that Dyson has to say to Angelina! (I even confused myself sometimes.)

**Tiarwen**: I'm glad you still like it! And I hope you had fun with your family.

**Mistress of the Red Kiwi**: Thank you very much! (I think I even blushed while reading the review :D)

**Redcandle17**: Do you really expect _me_ to bring something bad in now?

**Numberfour**: Well, I can perfectly understand you, for as long as I've been reading fanfiction I have always had the problem with most writers being American (might have to do with the fact that the first fandom I was reading was Newsies and it is not that well-known in Europe) and if there wasn't an update in the morning there wouldn't be one until late at night when I was asleep… I hope you'll enjoy the conversation between Dyson and Angelina.

**Mistyqueen**: Thank you! I'm curious too as how it's going to continue… oh, wait, I should know, I'm the author…

**Fujutsu**: Wow, thank you very much! I hope I'll be able to keep it as interesting!

**Bratski**: Ah, no, I'm not from Argentina. My home is probably farther away from Argentina than yours. Glad you like the story!

**Angelface04**: I'm glad you like the story so far, and I really hope you won't lose interest in it! I always have to smile these days when I read the word _uber_. I mean, I'm so used to English words in the German language nowadays (starting with _cool_…) but to see a German word suddenly appearing in the English language I find kind of funny… I wonder how it came into the English language…

**Battlestar Polaris**: I stumbled upon the pairing in a story on (although I stopped reading it when Adrian and Angelina broke up again…) but before this, I never gave Adrian a second thought. His family's reaction will be indeed very interesting (or at least, I hope I'll be able to write it as interesting as I plan it). And yes, she will meet other former Hogwarts students.

**Rupert's honey**: Well, I hope I will keep it from getting boring.

**

* * *

Chapter 4**

**So much to talk about…**

Julia was already sitting on the bed, the blanket over her legs, still showing the top of her new red nightgown.

Angelina had just pulled the white silken negligee that had been in one of the boxes over her head before she sat down on the bed herself. She pulled the blanket over her legs and lay down next to her sister.

Julia scooted closer to her sister and sighed contently once she was cuddled up next to her sister. Angelina took her wand and turned off the light in the room.

"Julia."

"Mhm?"

"You… you know that married couples share a bed, right?" Angelina asked silently into the darkness.

"Yes." Julia answered slowly.

"And, you know… you know that you will have to sleep alone from tomorrow night on?" Angelina hated this. She felt as though she was abandoning her sister.

"I know." Julia replied silently. She turned around in Angelina's arms and tried to look at her sister.

"But during the day, you will still be with me, right? You will still play with me and continue to teach me to read and write, won't you?"

"Of course." Angelina promised and kissed Julia's hair.

"Good night Angelina." Julia yawned and was already asleep as soon as Angelina had wished her a good night as well.

* * *

Angelina frowned in her sleep and held Julia closer to her when the nightmares came back to haunt her. Had she hoped that they would just stop now that she was far away from the 'Milagro Rojo' she had been wrong. So wrong…

"_You can't marry her! She doesn't fit in our family!"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_She is… She doesn't fit in! You must see that!"_

"_No I don't!"_

"_She is black!"_

Angelina whimpered in her sleep and tried to push the nightmare away, but to no avail.

"_Angelina, you have to go to Argentina with Julia, it is getting way to dangerous here!"_

"_But… what about you?"_

"_Don't worry about us Angel. Just take care of your sister."_

"_I… we will see you again, right?"_

"_Take care of her, Angel. And remember, we will always love you!"_

A single tear slid down her cheek as her mind let her see her parents again. As she saw their faces, heard their voices, could almost feel her mother's hands on her cheek as she stroke her before she gave her Julia to take her to Argentina.

"_Hey mudblood!" she felt the dragon skin boot kicking her in the side._

"_Stand up!" _

"_Do as you're told mudblood!" _

Angelina hugged Julia closer to her. Her whole body shivered as her mind let her see things that might have happened to both her and Julia had they stayed at the Milagro Rojo. Cold sweat started to cover her body.

It wasn't until the sun was rising that she woke up from the nightmare.

* * *

"Well Miss Johnson, would you like to accompany me into the hotel garden?"

Julia giggled slight when Dyson bowed and offered her his arm. Somehow the 28-year-old had managed to gain Julia's trust – at least as much as she was right now able to give – in less than a day. Angelina waved after her sister when she walked out of the suite.

Nervously she ran her hands over the pink fabric of her dress as she waited for Adrian to speak. After all, Adrian wanting to speak with her was the reason for Dyson to take Julia into the garden. And yet, when Adrian started to talk, she almost jumped.

"I talked to the hotel manager. We will marry this evening." He told her as though he had been merely talking about the weather. Angelina turned around to face him and saw him leaning with his hip against the backrest of one of the couches, looking back at her.

Angelina wasn't sure if he expected her to respond to this so she simply nodded and waited whether or not he was going to say something more to her. Surely he hadn't sent her sister away just to tell her when they would get married, would he?

Adrian stepped away from the couch and went towards the door that was opposite to the one that lead to the bedroom Angelina and Julia had slept in that night. At the door he turned around and asked her to follow him.

Angelina wasn't really surprised when she saw the furniture of the bedroom. It was exactly the same as the one in which she had slept the last night.

"I wrote to my lawyer yesterday evening and had him sent this over immediately." Adrian walked towards the nightstand and took a small black box from it. When he came back to her Angelina could see a small coloured picture on top of the box. Adrian opened the box and showed Angelina a thin ring made of white gold with a diamond. The ring was more than beautiful, especially as the sunlight caught in the stone and the diamond seemed to reflect it in all colours of the rainbow.

"It is beautiful." Angelina said in a whisper as she looked at the ring. It was beautiful and a part of her, a very small part of her, wished it was given her under different circumstances. But she shook this feeling away immediately. She had given up on love long ago; there was no reason to start thinking about such nonsense now.

When Adrian closed the box again, Angelina could see that the picture she had seen on it was a crest. She cocked her head slightly to one side and looked at it. The crest was divided into four parts, the top held a simple dark green quarter on the left and a silver quarter with a snake under a wane moon. The lower part of the crest held a silver quarter with a dark red flower on the left and again a simple dark green quarter on the right.

"What is this?" She asked and her fingers touched the picture slightly

"It's our family crest." Adrian explained. He put the box back onto the nightstand before they walked back into the living room.

"Can I ask you something?" Angelina asked and turned to face him.

"You just did." Adrian replied and Angelina sighed. She tried desperately to stay calm and not scream at him right now. Adrian was glad to see the way her eyes darkened. She had almost scared him with the way she had acted so far. Too cool, too reserved, too un-Gryffindor-like.

"Why did you want it to be one condition that _neither_ of us is allowed to have affairs?"

Adrian raised his eyebrows and Angelina already thought she wouldn't get a response from him when he finally answered.

"I don't like anyone touching what is mine." He said and it was Angelina's turn to raise her eyebrows.

"I'm possessive. Might have to do with me being an only child. So I won't watch how my wife is having affairs with other men. And I guess it is only fair if I don't have affairs then, too."

To say she was surprised would have been an understatement. But Angelina didn't say anything more about it. After a quick glance to the clock Adrian excused himself, saying that he had a business appointment and that he would be back by seven. The wedding would then be held at eight o'clock. Angelina wasn't sure whether she wished for the time to pass by faster or to stop entirely.

* * *

It was about thirty minutes later when Dyson and Julia came back into the suite. Julia ran towards the couch Angelina was sitting on and jumped onto it.

"Look!" She said when she held a brown teddy bear with a pink bow around his neck towards her sister.

"Dyson bought him for me." Julia smiled and hugged the teddy. Angelina looked asking at Dyson who only shrugged smiling while he walked closer. Julia turned to look at him and then back at Angelina.

"Do we have a paper and a pencil here? I promised Dyson to paint him something." Julia said and Angelina felt close to tears when she looked into her sister's eyes. In Julia's eyes she could see the hope for a better future. If Julia was already willing to trust Dyson then the past four years had maybe not affected her as badly as she had feared. Then maybe Julia would soon be able to leave all this behind.

"I don't know." She answered Julia's question and made to arise from the couch when Dyson told her he would get something for Julia to paint on. When Dyson left the room Angelina looked at her sister again.

"Dyson told me that Teddy will protect me at night from all the bad dreams and from any bad memories that might come." Julia told her proudly.

"I'm sure he will." Angelina said when she looked at the stuffed animal. Julia suddenly frowned and looked worried at her older sister.

"Will this other man protect you from your bad dreams now?"

Angelina looked shocked at the young girl. She had always thought Julia didn't know about her nightmares.

"Julia…"

"So, this should be enough for you to paint me something nice, right?" Dyson interrupted them and Angelina didn't finish her sentence. She hadn't known what she should have said anyway. Julia took the paper and the crayons from Dyson and walked into her bedroom, saying she didn't want Dyson to see the painting before she was done.

Once she had closed the door behind her Dyson went to the small bar and filled himself a glass of firewhiskey before he sat down next to Angelina on the couch.

"You… you didn't have to buy her the teddy bear." Angelina told him softly when Dyson put his arms on the backrest of the couch, placing his right leg on his left knee.

"I thought it might help her getting used to sleep alone." Dyson said and shrugged. The whispered _'Thank you'_ from Angelina he almost overheard.

"You don't look like a soon-to-be bride." Dyson said and sipped on his whiskey.

"What do you expect me to look like?" Angelina asked and eyed him curiously.

"Happy?" Dyson shrugged. Angelina raised her eyebrows at him.

"You do know what this marriage is about, don't you?"

"I do. That doesn't mean you can't look happy. One would think, after living in that establishment for… how long was it, three, four years? … that you would be happy to be away from it."

"I am happy to be out of there that is for sure, however, I'm not a person who is going to jump around with joy." _'Not anymore at least.'_

"It wouldn't seem so, would it? No, you really are a lot like my cousin." Dyson said and gained another raised eyebrow from Angelina. But he decided to change the subject.

"Has Adrian told you about our family yet?"

Angelina shook her head.

"Of course not." Dyson laughed slightly. "Although there is a lot to talk about. It is a rather large family – unusual, one would think, for purebloods like ourselves, but then again, our grandparents were a rather unusual couple."

"You see, when my grandparents met, they actually fell in love. So, when they married, my grandfather had even let the family crest changed. I don't know whether or not you have seen it yet, it is…"

"I have seen it." Angelina interrupted him and Dyson nodded slowly.

"The snake under the wane moon has been the sign of the Puceys for hundreds of years, no one really knows anymore why. The red rose is the sign of the DiAngelo – our grandmother's family." Dyson explained.

"But, as I said before, they were very much in love and thus, my grandfather didn't only bed his wife until she gave him the desired heir, but together they raised no less than seven children."

Angelina's eyes widened slightly as she heard this. This was indeed rather unusual for the old, rich pureblooded families.

"All but one of their children got married and now I have 14 cousins. Three of them have already children of their own."

"Did all of them marry out of love?"

"No, there are enough of them who married for other reasons. Although my grandmother always insists on her _talk_ before the wedding. Telling everyone that they should remember that there is no way she will allow any member of our family to end a marriage. But obviously that didn't stop anyone from marrying whom they wanted to marry. Although, some of my cousins claim that grandmother has cursed them, so they won't be able to get children, or at least, that they won't get a boy."

Angelina looked disbelieving at Dyson who raised his hands.

"I didn't say I believe it."

"What did you mean when you said Adrian is like me?" Angelina suddenly asked. It took Dyson a moment to remember what exactly she meant but when he did he answered immediately.

"I meant that both of you hide your feelings. But Adrian is still better at it."

"I'm not hiding my feelings!" Angelina told him but Dyson only raised his eyebrows at her.

"When was the last time you laughed? Or cried? Or screamed at someone? When was the last time you didn't put this mask on your face?"

Angelina swallowed. Could he be right? Was she really hiding her feelings? And what if? It wasn't as thought it was a crime! She straightened her shoulders and raised her chin when she looked at him again.

"Even if I do as you say, there's nothing wrong with it!"

"I didn't say it is. You assume too much. Typical Gryffindor behaviour I'd say."

Angelina narrowed her eyes at Dyson when she saw the grin that was slowly forming on his lips.

"I knew you weren't as good at it as Adrian." He told her grinning. Angelina shook her head and sighed.

"Angelina, I beg you to be careful once we're back in England."

"Why?" Angelina asked slightly troubled by Dyson's sudden seriousness.

"Because there are people who would like to hurt my cousin, even in our family. And you are the perfect way to get there." Dyson stopped and looked at her and saw her asking look.

"Why would someone of your own family want to hurt Adrian?"

"Because, even though my grandmother doesn't say so openly, everyone knows that Adrian is her favourite grandson. For one his father was her youngest child and then, he is also said to be the one who is most like our grandfather both, in his looks and his character."

"Was?"

Dyson looked confused at her.

"His father. You didn't say he is the youngest child, but he _was_ the youngest child."

"Adrian's father died some years ago." Dyson explained and waited a moment before he continued.

"Adrian is rather calm and cold on the outside, but he can get very angry and aggressive in a matter of seconds. But I guess you have already noticed that during some Quidditch game. People who know him, know how to get to him. And you will be the easiest way to accomplish that task."

"How so?"

"To say Adrian is possessive would be an understatement. And that is no secret in England. He is also someone who lets someone fall if this someone betrays him in any way. I remember, it must have been in the year the chamber was opened, he was going out with some Ravenclaw girl. After about a month he found out she had made out with some guy from Ravenclaw. He beat him up pretty bad, the guy had to stay in the hospital wing for a night. Then he broke up with the girl."

It was getting cold in the room. Or maybe, that was just Angelina's feeling.

"I'm not planning on betraying him." Angelina said silently.

"You don't have to convince me. Convince Adrian. Don't let him doubt you. You are a very pretty woman, and you know it. It won't take much to let other men try to seduce you. Make it obvious that no one of them is of any interest to you. Best would be… stay away from any man when Adrian isn't with you. And not just from strangers."

Angelina shook her head slowly. He couldn't really mean what he said, could he?

"I told you that Adrian is the favourite grandson, and I told you that some of my cousins as well as my dear siblings think our grandmother cursed them to not get a boy. When you come back with Adrian, legally married and it only being a matter of time until you give birth to a child, they will suspect that my grandmother will be more than delighted if it is going to be a boy. I would like to tell you exactly from whom you should stay away, but I fear, if I tell you now, that you can talk to Keziah and Sean, or Cole and Nigella, or to Maitland and Felicienne, it wouldn't really help you, for you would have forgotten the names before we are in England."

Angelina knew that he was probably right. Her head was already starting to ache with everything he had told her so far.

"One would think that for a family as rich as yours doesn't need the heritage your grandmother has to offer."

"One would think so, yes, but the heritage isn't a small one. For one, there is a lot of money, old, very valuable books, rare potion ingredients and so on. And then of course, the houses: villas in Venice, Florence, and at the sea in Tuscany. A chateau in Switzerland. A house in Sweden were my grandparents passed Christmas very often… the list is almost endless."

"What about you? Are you married?" Angelina asked him. Dyson shook his head and drank his whiskey.

"No. And much to the dismay of my dear grandmother, I won't marry."

"You don't want the heritage?"

Dyson shrugged.

"I will inherit enough from my parents. I'm not one for marriage, you know. To think of binding myself to one woman for the rest of my life…" Dyson shook his head.

"How could I? There are so many beautiful women walking this planet, how could I decide on one alone?"

Angelina couldn't do anything but shake her head when she saw the look on Dyson's face. But then she thought about how he had told her about Adrian's aggressions.

"Does your cousin hold his word?" she asked in a whisper, not daring to look in his face.

"Yes he does. Why do you ask?"

Angelina shrugged.

"Just a question."

"I scared you with what I told you about Adrian?" It was more a statement than a question. Angelina turned her head to look into Dyson's blue eyes again.

"He won't hurt you."

Angelina nodded slowly. What could she do other than trust Dyson's word?

"Here!" Julia's happy voice interrupted the silence that had befallen them. She came running towards the couch. She gave Dyson a piece of paper where not a single white spot was left.

"I painted the hotel garden." Julia told him proudly as she walked around the couch and sat on Angelina's lap.

"Do you like it?" she asked and looked hopefully at him.

"Of course I do! This is the best painting I have ever seen!" Dyson told her smiling before he arose.

"I'll see you tonight." And with this he left the two alone.

* * *

If anyone wants to see the crest and/or the family tree go here:

http/ de.share. geocities. com/ nikidestiny/ Stammbaum. bmp

(you know the thrill, delete the spaces…)

And still no wedding…. But the next one will be the wedding and the wedding night. Promise!

Maybe I'll be able to update before the weekend, but I can't promise, I have to prepare my oral presentations in English and French for next weeks Thursday, and this week's Thursday, we're going to capture the house of a friend for a pirate party! (in other words, we're watching PotC and eat Pizza :D) Oh, and while I'm talking about Pirates… has anyone of you ever wondered about Captain Flint – Marcus Flint? Is there a connection between them?


	6. I declare you man and wife

nana nana nana nana nana na, drink up me hearties. Yo ho!...

oh, sorry, it's the PotC-fever…

**fujutsu**: Thank you sooo much!

**TriGemini**: You know, sometimes I have the feeling you know the characters (or how I try to make them) better than I do myself!

**Tiarwen**: You don't have to wait any longer, I really made it! The wedding is here!

**Burnt Reflection**: Don't worry, I probably couldn't write any angst even if I'd want to. I mean, okay, so I did kill a few characters that I came to like in the past… but angst? No, I don't think so.

**Angelface04**: it doesn't really mean cool. Über (which is a really difficult word for English people as I've noticed when our English teacher is saying anything with ü in it ;p) is either a preposition meaning _above, beyond, over_ or an adverb. Alone it can also mean _super_-, or _hyper-_ something. In connection with an adjective it means _a lot, very_ or _too_. The English meaning of cool probably came from that last one.  
Hm… wedding, wedding night and nightmare? That's exactly the content of this chapter!

**Battlestar Polaris**: yes, the one Angelina didn't marry will play a part in the story later. Oh, Adrian's grandmother will get her talk! Just after the wedding, but she will still get her talk:D (I can barely wait to write that woman). And don't worry about the length, I LOVE long reviews!

**Mistress of the red Kiwi**: I hope you could see the family tree now. I hadn't thought that the hourly bandwidth would be a problem…

**Rupert's honey**: okay, so here it is, pretty fast update (it's still not weekend), and some action for the wedding night. Anything else?

**Eruaphadriel**: (Hope I spelled the name correctly) Thank you! I'm glad you like it so far!

**Andybear09**: I'm glad you like this story so far! I hope this won't stay the only Angelina-story you read. There a lot great ones out there to be discovered…

* * *

The wedding dress I _'tried'_ to describe can be seen here:

www. Aireswindstudio. De/brautkleiderab01.htm

(delete the spaces before and after the name)

It is the 4th dress (click on the pic to enlarge)

**

* * *

Chapter 5**

**I declare you man and wife!**

Angelina was standing in front of the mirror looking at the dress she was wearing. Of course it was breathtakingly beautiful. She hadn't expected anything else when she had opened the box. She wondered whether or not Adrian had chosen it. He probably wouldn't believe in it bringing bad luck if the man saw the dress before the wedding.

She lifted her hand and the see-through sleeve fell open looking like a fan from her elbows on. The upper parts of the sleeves were tight around her arms. The dress had a rather deep v-neck which revealed the top of her breasts. The white fabric made her skin look even darker than it already was.

Beige embroidery made its way from all over the top to the sides of the skirt. When she had put the dress on, Angelina had silently wondered just how many layers of fabric the skirt contained and she was surprised to find it now lying perfectly around her body.

She had thought about putting her hair up but then decided against it when she remembered Adrian's comment the last night. So her hair was falling openly over her shoulders again.

She reminded herself of a princess or a good fairy she had seen pictures of in one of the muggle fairytale books she had once seen at Katie's home.

The dress was beautiful and Dyson was right – she _should_ be happy. But right now, she was rather afraid than happy. Afraid of tonight. Of how it would be with Adrian. She feared the night to come more than she had thought before. Probably it had just really sunk into her brain when she had put on the wedding dress.

But there was no turning back now. She could just hope that it wouldn't turn out to be a nightmare come true. Especially since it wouldn't just be tonight; no, it would be every night from now on. _'Oh Lord, please help me!'_

Julia was sitting on the bed in a white dress with small red flowers all over it. She looked at Angelina while her thoughts went to the future. Tonight she would have to sleep alone. Tonight and every night following. She turned her head to look at Teddy sitting on the bed. Teddy would protect her. She just had to remind her of this when the fear came back.

"Come Julia, we have to go."

Julia jumped from the bed and took Angelina's hand. Had her sister always had such cold hands?

* * *

"I declare you man and wife." The priest said and Angelina turned to face Adrian to receive his kiss. This was it now. The ring was on her finger, the vows had been spoken, and the kiss had been given. She had barely noticed Adrian's lips on her own. To lost in her own thoughts she had just noticed him pulling back again.

This was it. Now she was married. Bound to a man she barely knew. Was she doing the right thing? Of course it was too late now, to think about this, but she couldn't stop the way her mind worked.

They would eat dinner now. In a separate dining room of the hotel – with a beautiful look over the garden. They would eat a four-course menu before they would 'retire for the night'. She pushed that thought far away – for now. After all, it would still be some hours until then.

* * *

Too soon! It was way too soon! So what if it was almost eleven? It was still early! But Angelina knew that it wasn't any good to try and push it farther away. She would bring Julia to bed and then head over to Adrian's… _their_ room and then…

"You'll be alright?" She asked Julia once her sister was tugged up in bed, the teddy in her arms.

"Yes." Yawned Julia and Angelina could tell that her sister could barely keep her eyes open. She kissed her forehead and wished her a goodnight before she slowly walked out of the room and turned off the light.

She stood in the living room and looked at the opposite door. It was closed. She took her time crossing the room. Standing before the closed door she took a deep breath and closed her eyes before her hand reached for the handle and pushed it down as she opened the door.

Adrian turned to look at her when he heard the door being opened. And there she was standing in the door, looking at him. He had been pleasantly surprised when he had seen her this evening. He had just told the hotel manager to send a wedding dress to his suite – the price hadn't mattered. The manager had proven to have a very good taste.

Adrian reached his hand out and waited for Angelina to take it. She closed the door behind her and slowly put her hand in his.

Adrian pulled her closer until she was standing in front of him. Never before had Angelina noticed how imposing Adrian was. He was about half a head taller than her and she had to look up at him.

Her heart was beating faster when he stepped behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Adrian felt her stiffen underneath his touch and kissed her shoulder.

"You don't need to be afraid." He whispered and Angelina turned her head slightly towards his. Adrian ran his hands over her arms. His lips travelled to her neck and farther to her ear.

"I want you to enjoy it." Adrian whispered to her and Angelina shivered.

"I want you to tell me if I do something you like." Adrian said while his hands held Angelina's waist moving to her stomach.

"And if I do something you don't like." His lips moved over her cheek until he reached the corner of her mouth. He felt Angelina relax underneath his lips as he kissed her lips.

His kiss was slow, gentle and Angelina felt the fear rushing away. Adrian turned her around so she was facing him again and pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss. If the kiss was any indication for how the rest of the night would be than Angelina thought she might have worried for no reason.

Adrian's hands moved towards her shoulders pressing her close against his body. His lips became more demanding as he brought one hand into her hair. Their tongues were battling for dominance in her mouth. Adrian felt for the dress' opening on Angelina's back and slowly opened it, his hand moving over her bare back as more and more of her skin was exposed to his fingers.

Angelina moaned against his mouth and Adrian let go of her lips. His mouth found its way to her neck, kissing the dark skin while he pulled the dress off of her shoulders.

He stepped back when the dress fell to the floor and watched her while Angelina stepped out of her shoes and away from the dress. She was a goddess! There was no other possibility. In front of him stood the perfection of a woman. Everything from her passion filled eyes over her firm breasts down over her hips, the white underwear she was still wearing and the long, seemingly endless legs looked like the work of a sculptor. Had Milo still been living, Adrian would have bet he had the inspiration for the Venus standing in front of him.

Adrian pulled her into his arms again as their lips found each other again. His hands took advantage of her nudeness and wandered all over her body causing her to shiver under his hands.

He guided her towards the bed and slowly let her lay down following after her and covering her body with his. He kissed his way over her neck and towards her breasts, not wasting any time before he took the first nipple into his mouth and sucked on it.

Angelina moaned underneath him and arched into his mouth. For a moment she thought she shouldn't be enjoying this so much. But then she chided herself. She was his wife now. She would be so for the rest of her life. So if he actually managed that she was enjoying the nights with him she should be happy about it.

It could really be worse, she mused. If passion was something they could share, it was still a lot more than many other married couples could. She closed her eyes and threw her head back when Adrian's hand ran over her stomach and underneath the fabric of her underwear.

Adrian could feel every single muscle in her stomach as he let his hand glide over it. He heard her moan when he reached underneath the white lace and in response sucked harder on her nipple.

Angelina brought her hands into Adrian's hair and pulled him away from her breast to look at his face.

"I think you're wearing too much for this to work." She told him huskily and tugged at his jacket. Adrian didn't need to be told twice and took his jacket of, letting it fall onto the floor.

While he started to unbutton his shirt he leaned forward and kissed her neck, nibbling on her dark skin. Angelina pulled on his shirt, desperate to feel his naked skin on her own. But as soon as his shirt joined his jacket on the floor she froze.

Adrian didn't see her staring at his left arm. He was too focused on kissing and touching every inch of skin he could reach. Angelina, however, stared at the dark mark that was now visible on his forearm. Her hands gripped the blanket she was lying on and she closed her eyes. She tried to push the image of this dark skull on his light skin out of her mind and turned her head around. She didn't want to look at it again.

She hadn't imagined how good he was at making her forget about his tattoo, but as soon as his hand moved between her legs she was even forgetting where she was.

Adrian lifted his head and looked at her face while two of his fingers caused her to moan his name. She opened her legs farther for him and lifted her hips towards his hand. Her head was thrown back, her eyes only half open, her lips slightly parted.

He bent his head and found her lips again, his tongue moving into her mouth to search hers again. His fingers and his tongue managed to move in the same rhythm, causing Angelina to arch her body off the bed, trying to get more of the feeling his fingers were causing.

Angelina pushed faster against his hand, feeling herself close to an orgasm. She groaned against his lips, tried to make him do something to let her come. Adrian pushed as deep as he could, turning his fingers around inside of her, his thumb brushing over her clit. And that was it. Angelina freed herself from his lips and threw her head back, moaning his name out loud while she came.

Adrian continued to move his fingers inside of her until she fell back onto the bed and panted heavily. He slowly brought his hand away from her and tasted her on his fingers as Angelina slowly opened her eyes. She whimpered when she saw him licking his fingers clean. Her own tongue darted out to wet her lips while she looked from his mouth to his eyes.

They weren't the cold icy blue she remembered from the evening before. Their colour had darkened visibly and Angelina swallowed while she stared into them. Adrian reached his left hand out to stroke through her hair but Angelina caught his arm before he could reach her head. She didn't want to see what was on his arm. She didn't want to destroy that moment of peace she had just found. It would be over way too soon anyway.

Adrian frowned at her behaviour and was about to ask her what was wrong when Angelina let her hand travel over his arm up to his shoulder. Hart as steal and yet somewhat soft – she thought as she moved her hand over his upper arm. Her eyes followed her hand when she let it glide from his shoulder over his chest, stopping a moment to feel his heartbeat underneath his muscles, and lower over his stomach.

Adrian breathed heavily while he watched her face intently. She was nibbling on her lower lip and watched her hand running over his body. To say he was hard would have been an understatement. His trousers were uncomfortably tight and he wanted to get out of them and burry himself inside of her as soon as possible.

Angelina unbuttoned his trousers and used now both hands to pull the black clothing off of him. Adrian helped her by kicking the trousers to the floor pulling his boxer shorts off himself and let them fall onto the pile of his discarded cloths on the ground.

When he sat there completely nude Angelina sat up onto her knees and looked at him. Keeping her eyes from his left arm she had to admit that she could have done much worse. Her new husband had a body to die for. Of course – no one on the Slytherin quidditch team had been small and weak. And one special part of his body was everything but small. Angelina licked her lips in anticipation.

"Now, who's wearing too much?" Adrian asked and ran his hands over her sides until he reached her underwear. He tucked at the material and Angelina raised herself so he could take them off of her.

Adrian laid her back onto the bed following immediately and lying down between her legs. His lips once again met hers in a passionate kiss. His tongue darted out and ran over her full lips forcing them to open up for him. He took possession of her mouth while his erection pressed painfully against her stomach. Angelina moaned into his mouth and moved around underneath him, causing his erection to hurt even more.

He needed relief. And he needed it now. He broke the kiss for a moment and looked into her eyes. He moved into her in one quick move and groaned when her warm wetness engulfed him.

Angelina's legs wrapped around his waist and she moved together with him in this ancient rhythm. She felt like flying. With each move she felt herself soaring higher and higher.

"Angelina." he moaned her name while he pushed down harder and faster, feeling his orgasm coming. After two more times he came and spilled his seed into her. Only seconds later Angelina screamed out when her whole body tensed up under her own orgasm.

Adrian collapsed on top of her and they both took their time catching their breath. When he had recovered, Adrian ran his hand slowly over shoulder and kissed her neck. He kissed her lips one more time before he rolled off of her slowly.

When his weight was gone Angelina turned onto her side, her back towards Adrian. She was exhausted, satisfied but exhausted and was already half asleep when she felt Adrian's finger on her shoulder blade. She knew what he was touching there.

"Proud of your work?" she asked and yawned, letting it sound rather tired than jokingly as she had intended.

Adrian frowned behind her. He had been tracing a scar of about four inches on her shoulder blade. He had wanted to ask her where she had received it when she had spoken.

"What do you mean?" he asked her confused. Angelina turned her head far enough to look at him and touched the scar with her left hand.

"Second year. The first quidditch game. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. You pushed me against the Slytherin stands. That's the result of it." She explained him and stifled a yawn. When she turned her head back and took her hand from the scar she felt Adrian's lips on the old scar. His arm went around her middle and rested on her stomach as he laid down to sleep directly behind her, spooning her body with his own.

* * *

"_So, I'll meet you for lunch?" he asked her while he fastened his shirt. _

"_Mhm… where?"_

"_I'll surprise you." He grinned at her and bent over the bed to kiss her one last time. _

"_Will I like it?" she asked already fearing where he would take her. His only response was one of his famous grins and a blown kiss before he headed out of her bedroom to apparate home…_

_It had only been about ten minutes before she noticed his wallet still lying on her nightstand. _

"_Typical!" she murmured and arose to get dressed. Another ten minutes later she apparated after him to bring him his wallet. Little did she know that her life was about to change completely…_

_She was looking again at the golden ring on her finger and smiled as she entered the house. She could hear voices in the kitchen and walked towards it._

"_I…Angelina and I are going to get married." _

_She heard the voice of her fiancé. She pouted as she heard it. She had thought they wanted to tell everyone together. But after she heard what followed she understood why he had planned it differently._

"_You can't possibly mean it!"_

"_What do you mean mum?"_

"_You can't marry her! She doesn't fit in our family!"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_She is… She doesn't fit in! You must see that!"_

"_No I don't!"_

"_She is black!"_

"_What? You can't mean it!"_

_Angelina froze in her place. She heard something being put onto the kitchen table and a female sigh._

"_You won't marry her, and that's it! Do you understand me?"_

_The angry reply she expected never came. No cried 'No'. No cry of outrage. And this was when she knew he would do as his mother asked of him. His family was important to him and she – obviously wasn't. _

_Tears were in her eyes as she walked into the room. She could see the shock at seeing her in his eyes. She took the ring from her finger and walked towards him. Calm, collected, cold._

"_Goodbye." Was all she said to him before she left the house. He didn't try to get after her. He never tried to win her back. He never stood up against his mother for her. And she had been left crying for days. Had stayed in her flat alone. Empty. Then she had returned to her parents and her sister…_

* * *

"Angelina! Angelina wake up!"

She sat up with a start and looked around in the room before she remembered where she was. She looked asking at Adrian.

"What…?"

"You had a nightmare. You were murmuring something and were beating around." Adrian told her and Angelina fell back into the pillows. She shook her head slowly.

"I'm sorry for waking you." She whispered and stared at the ceiling.

"Don't be." Adrian replied. "You want to talk about it?" he asked her although he already knew the answer.

"No."

And he nodded.

"Good night." She whispered and turned around, her back once again towards him. When Adrian tried to touch her he felt her tense underneath his hand. He sighed and wished her a good night as well before he lay down on his back and stared at the ceiling himself.

* * *

Wow, it was never so hard to write a sex scene. But then again, I've only written ones where both were in love with each other…

And now I've got to go! Mr. Cotton and his parrot (also known as my friend Christina who wanted to bring her dove along) are waiting for me (as AnaMaria) so we can capture Sarah's house (she hasn't decided yet between being Jack the monkey and Twigg (the one who has _problems_ with his right eye.) :D


	7. Home again!

So, since TODAY (for here it already is the 16th) is the release date of HBP, which I have of course preordered (I live in a village of about 420 people, the next 'city' is thirty minutes away, the shops there open at 10 a. m. compared to this the mail comes between 8.30 and 9 a.m.) and the mail won't dare to NOT bring me my Amazon-paket, I will be busy with finding out who the halfblood Prince is and who is going to die and so on over the weekend.

So I decided I would be a nice author and give you another chapter before the weekend.

**TriGemini**: The nightmares didn't turn up suddenly again, Angelina had them for the past years. It was just that the wedding reminded her of what happened last time she was engaged.

**Fujutsu**: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

**Eruaphadriel**: (and I thought I had chosen a difficult name…;)) Angelina's nightmare was about what happened some years ago. So, it is not only a dream.

**Redcandle17**: Ah, so finally some hint for the secret fiancé! First: yes, the nightmare is really a memory and about the name you wrote…yes it is him. When thinking up this story I remembered Hermione's alleged betrayal to Harry (when Rita Skeeter claimed there was a love triangle and all that). That made the mother look rather old-fashioned to me and I thought she'd be someone who may not have something against black people as friends but as the wife/husband of a white person.

**Tiarwen**: oh my, I really should make a TV show out of this… Who's the mean ex-fiancé? Candidate no. 1? No. 2? Or no. 3? Stay tuned, you will hear the answer after the break… Okay, maybe not a TV show… Well, he is a canon character and more you will find out if you read my comments to Redcandle17 right above this.

**Burnt Reflections**: Ah, for those two to admit anything that could be called feelings you will have to wait a while…

**Rupert's honey**: ah yes, that dress alone would be worth to marry someone…

**Mistress of the Red Kiwi**: there are smutty sex scenes on THIS site? I must have missed something… well, I'm glad the way I described that part of their relationship did found good resonance because there will at least be two more described scenes of that.

**Battlestar Polaris**: ah, I loved writing the grandmother! I hope you will enjoy reading about her as much as I enjoyed writing her. Well, even the people who seem nice may have other sides… just read my comment to Redcandle17 above, then you will understand.

**Andybear09**: the mark will have to wait a bit, there are more important things right now… like meeting the family :D

**Ashliegh**: well, they HAD to sleep together, since Angelina needs to get pregnant as soon as possible, so she will give birth to a boy as soon as possible and thus, Adrian will inherit as soon as possible… Ah, and here we have the first person who is not asking but absolutely sure about who the fiancé was… about his mother (I don't know how often I've written this already) read my comment to Redcandle17.

* * *

Translation of the Italian words at the end.

**Chapter 6**

**Home again!**

Dyson was standing in the living room area whistling some song. Adrian glared at him while he waited for Angelina and Julia to finish dressing.

"Is there a reason why you are so annoyingly cheerful this morning?" he finally asked his cousin. Dyson raised his eyebrows at that and smiled.

"Ah, one should think that you should be just as cheerful this morning, cousin. After all last night was your wedding night. Or… wasn't it good?"

"How my wedding night was is none of your concern!"

Dyson sighed and shook his head.

"So, why are you so happy?" Adrian asked again when Dyson grinned.

"Just imagining our return to England." He looked at his cousin and saw that Adrian didn't understand what he meant.

"I've just been thinking about how _happy_ your mother will be that you have found yourself a bride. And dear Camille! She will surely be _delighted_! Say, how long has she been trying to get you to ask her out?"

Adrian sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"Maybe we should stay for a few days more…" he thought out loud. Dyson tried to hide his grin at this.

"Of course. Let me arrange everything. I'll talk to the hotel manager, write to your mother and my parents that we'll arrive later, cancel our portkey for today. I'll do everything that is needed… And in return you'll tell me – in detail – about your wedding night." Dyson grinned and raised and dropped his eyebrows several times.

"Make sure the portkey is ready. We'll leave in thirty minutes." Was Adrian's immediate reply.

"Cousin, you really hurt me! Why don't you want to tell me about it? You've never made a secret about your sex life before!" Dyson said and put his hands over his heart as though he was deeply wounded.

"Because I like my wife were she is – in MY bed! And now get out and make sure the portkey is ready."

"It must have been very good then, he?" Dyson asked grinning just before he closed the door behind him and just in time before Adrian could throw something at him.

* * *

As soon as the portkey had brought them to England Angelina took a deep breath. The wind was blowing around her skirt and she was actually glad that Adrian had asked her to wear a green long-sleeved dress made of velvet.

Compared to the heat in Argentina, it was cold in England. And she loved it! When she had been younger she had often complained about the weather in Great Britain. Of course, some people might argue, all British love to complain about the weather in their country. But deep in her heart she had missed it over the past four years. And she was glad to have this weather back that would change from sunshine to rain in less than five minutes.

They were standing in front of a huge house or rather a mansion. Julia was holding tightly onto her hand. Angelina looked down at her.

"It is cold." Said Julia and shivered slightly.

"Yes, it is." Angelina replied smiling. Julia frowned at this response. How could her sister smile when it was such a bad weather? Adults really were odd sometimes!

Adrian opened the door and guided Angelina and Julia into the mansion. Dyson was walking behind them, the big grin still on his face. They entered the hall and immediately Julia's eyes grew wide.

This house was even more impressing than the hotel they had stayed in. She was looking directly at a wide stone staircase that led upstairs. And there were so many doors and ways leading somewhere else from the hall. Julia wondered if this was some kind of castle. Like the one her sister had been to school.

"Adrian! You're already back home!" They could hear a female voice coming closer.

"That's what I call timing. Camille Crowfeather has come over this morning to keep me some company and we've just been talking about you!" A very pretty and very elegant woman came towards the group and kissed Adrian's cheek. Her deep brown hair was tucked up neatly in a bun and not a single strand of her hair was out of place. Her dark dress looked as though it had been made just for her – which it probably really was.

Dyson rolled his eyes at his aunt's words. She had known exactly when they would return. She had already known that before they had gone to Argentina and Camille being here was surely not by chance.

"Mother, I want you to meet…"

"Oh, just wait a moment for Camille to arrive. She is such a dear girl! You really ought to ask her out before someone else does." His mother interrupted Adrian and called for a house elf to tell Camille that Adrian had arrived home.

"Come, we'll go into the drawing room and meet her there."

"Mother." Adrian said and waited for his mother to stop babbling. Marjory Pucey looked wide eyed at her son.

"I fear Camille will have to wait. I want to introduce my wife to you." He said and put his hand around Angelina's shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Marjory stood frozen for a moment. Had her son truly said **_wife_**? Her eyes fell on Angelina and she raised her eyebrows at the young woman.

Who did this girl think she was? Just because she was wearing a decent dress and held a somewhat catching beauty didn't make her a worthy match for Adrian! She probably was only after his money anyway! And the child she had with her? Oh dear lord, she already had a child! What could one expect from such a woman? This couldn't be true!

"Mother, this is Angelina. And her sister Julia. Angelina, Julia, this is my mother, Marjory Pucey."

"You are jesting with me, right?" _'He better says yes'_ Marjory thought.

"I can't see why you'd think that." Adrian replied calmly. He knew his mother's mood swings too well to give much about them. He was just waiting for her to scream now.

"Adrian Briscoe Pucey! You will tell me this instant that _this_ is only a joke!" she demanded and pointed at Angelina. Adrian's grip around Angelina's shoulder tightened when Angelina gritted her teeth.

"It is NOT a joke! We're married."

Marjory gasped. How could he have dared to marry such a …

"Well then, annul the wedding!" she said simply and was about to turn around.

"This won't be possible." Adrian replied just as calm.

"Then get a divorce!"

"Mother, you know a Pucey-marriage is for eternity."

Marjory spun around and looked Angelina over once more.

"What do you know about this…this…woman? She is probably a mudblood! She will taint out family's bloodline! She doesn't fit in our family!"

Angelina tensed. Hadn't she heard that before?

"I can assure you, mother, that Angelina's blood is as pure as can be!"

"Ha! How can you be so sure about it? She can have faked any papers proving she is a mudblood!"

"And there comes the next one." Angelina could hear Dyson mutter under his grin. She turned around to look at the man who was obviously enjoying the scene and found him winking at her and nodding in the direction Marjory had appeared from before.

A young, blonde woman walked slowly towards them and Angelina had the feeling, she knew her from somewhere.

"Marjory, is something wrong?" she asked in a sickenly sweet voice as she looked at Adrian.

"Adrian, you're back already? Did you have a nice trip?"

"I did indeed. Camille, I'm sure you remember Angelina? She was in our year at Hogwarts."

So that was where Angelina had known her from. Camille looked at the other woman and frowned, visibly confused at what she was doing there. The look on her face when Adrian spoke again was one that Dyson would keep in his mind and cherish all his life.

"We married in Argentina."

"And they will end this marriage IMMEDIATELY!" Marjory screamed, surprising Angelina with this outburst. The dark woman silently wondered if Adrian would send her back to Argentina. But she didn't think he'd be so heartless. Or she hoped he wouldn't be. That he would listen to his mother sooner or later that was something she was sure would happen. She was in for a big surprise.

"No! This marriage is legal and will be held onto! Whether you like it or not, she is my wife. And she will stay my wife until either of us dies!"

Marjory was fuming silently at this and all Camille could do was stare open mouthed at Angelina. What had this dark skinned woman that she hadn't? If she remembered correctly she was this tall, loud Gryffindor chaser. Spoke what she thought, held no respect to those superior to her, had her own mind and could get very angry. Who would want someone like that for a wife?

"Now, now, what is all this _chiasso_ about?"

'_Just how many people are going to come?'_ Angelina wondered silently when an old woman came into the hall.

Her hair – or most of it – was black. Every here and there were some grey strands in it. She was leaning on a walking cane while she walked towards the group. Her dress was made of velvet and a dark red colour. You could tell by looking in her face that she was an old woman but her eyes were still full of life.

So this was Adrian's grandmother. If his mother and Camille had been any indication Angelina was prepared for the worst now. She lifted her chin while the old woman demanded to know what was going on.

"Your grandson thinks he is married to this woman!" Marjory said and made no secret of her dislike when she looked at Angelina.

"I AM married to her." Adrian replied just as his grandmother walked towards Angelina. The old woman was smaller than Angelina and she squinted her eyes when she looked up at her grandson's wife. She lifted her hand and took Angelina's chin between her fingers, turning her face to one side then the other while she looked at her.

"_Dignità, orgoglio, coraggio_, _indipendente,_" she murmured when she looked at the woman's face. She made her look into her brown eyes and frowned.

"_Tristezza, furia, dolore_," she said silently and nodded.

"_Conosco questa faccia. Conosco questi occhi_." She smiled a little and turned to Adrian.

"You have found yourself a good wife, I'd say." Her smile left her face again.

"But I still want to talk to you!"

Adrian nodded silently. His mother, however, broke the silence.

"How can you say she is a good wife! We don't know anything about her!"

Adrian's grandmother closed her eyes and shook her head. Her hand was still holding Angelina's chin. When she opened her eyes she looked back at the young woman's face.

"You don't see it, do you?" She asked her daughter-in-law. She then frowned and looked at Angelina again.

"Angela… no, Angelina it is, right?"

Now it was Angelina's turn to frown. How did this woman know? The old woman smiled at the look on Angelina's face.

"Do you really not see it Marjory?"

"See what!"

"Leila Scott. You look just like your mother child." She said to Angelina. Marjory frowned but didn't say anything.

"Except your eyes. They are your father's."

Now Marjory let out a dry laugh.

"They had both brown eyes, Sophia."

"_Stupido_! I'm not talking about the colour." She told Marjory angry.

"I'm talking of what lies behind… of the feelings that are visible underneath the surface. All the time. One just has to look closely."

Sophia was looking at her for another second before she let go of her chin.

"Your parents got married at about the same time as my son and Marjory." She started to explain how she knew about Angelina's parents.

"And of course it was in every newspaper. Two high society weddings in less than a month, that was something to write about. And some even made a competition out of it. Who had the more expensive wedding, who had the more famous guests, the more expensive dress. And of course, who was the more beautiful bride."

Marjory made an odd sound at that. Sophia looked at her daughter-in-law for a moment before she turned back to Angelina.

"I always said your mother had won that one." She said and out of the corner of her eyes she watched Marjory fume.

"Would you know please tell Adrian that this marriage is to be annulled immediately!" Marjory said irritated.

"No." Sophia smiled at Angelina and Adrian and then turned around to Marjory.

"This has been the best decision the boy has made in some time. This wedding will NOT be annulled or divorced or anything else."

"But…"

"_Zitto_! They will stay married. _Punto e basta_!" Sophia said vehemently and Marjory went silent.

"And now, I want to talk with you!" Sophia said and walked past Marjory towards the drawing room. Before she was out of sight she turned back around.

"And bring your sister along, Angelina." She said and waited for Adrian, Angelina and Julia to follow her.

Dyson said his goodbyes before the three went after Sophia and he promised Julia to visit again soon. When he left he heard Marjory cursing loudly in the hall.

* * *

When they entered the room, Sophia was already sitting in an armchair and told them to sit on the sofa. Julia sat as close as possible to her sister on the light brown sofa, her teddy bear tightly in her other arm.

"I must admit that I don't remember your sister's name." Sophia said and looked at the small child.

"Her name is Julia." Angelina replied and stroke over her sister's hair. Sophia nodded slowly.

"Say Julia, would you like some hot chocolate?"

Julia looked up at Angelina and then nodded slowly.

"Adrian, would you be so kind and bring Julia and her _orsacchiotto_ into the kitchen and get them something to drink?"

Adrian knew too well that it was no use to argue with his grandmother and so he arose from the sofa and led Julia out of the room. Before he closed the door, Julia turned around and cocked her head to one side.

"What is an orso… orsach…"

"Orsacchiotto. It means teddy bear." Sophia explained.

Once they were alone Sophia simply sat there and looked at Angelina for some time.

"I'm sorry about your parents." She suddenly said. Angelina nodded slowly. So it was true. They really were dead then. She had already feared so, but there had always been this small bit of hope.

"Do you know all about my parents from the newspapers?" Angelina asked.

"No. My husband was the owner of the Ballycastle Bats." Sophia said and saw that Angelina understood what that meant.

"It was my father's first team."

"_Si_. It was. Tell me something, Angelina. And I beg you to be honest with me."

Angelina nodded and waited what Sophia would want from her.

"Why did you marry Adrian?"

Angelina looked dumbfounded at the old woman.

"Because he offered me something that I couldn't decline."

"That doesn't sound like love."

"It isn't."

Sophia sighed. She had really hoped that Adrian would marry out of love.

"You do know that there is no way out of this marriage. So, if you should fall in love with someone else…"

"I don't believe in love." Angelina told her calmly.

"That is sad." Sophia said and watched her intently.

"Do you like him?"

"I… I'm not sure. I know to little of him."

Sophia sighed. This was really not what she had hoped Adrian's marriage to be like. But then, Esmond had been in love with Marjory and it wasn't at all what she had wanted for her son.

And she had seen the pain in Angelina's eyes. She knew that her words came from that feeling. And it was possible to heal this.

"Do you want children? Or, is this marriage not real at all?"

"I do want children." Angelina said blushing. She really didn't want to talk about that part of her marriage with Adrian's grandmother. It just felt wrong to talk about this with the grandmother of one's husband.

"I hope for you, that at least in this part then, you like him." The way Angelina looked everywhere but at her made her smile. So maybe there was really hope for these two.

"Tu mi piaci. Mi piace tua natura." Sophia said. When she saw that Angelina didn't understand what she had said she smiled.

"I like you. I like your nature." She translated. Sophia looked at the grandfather clock that stood in one corner.

"I have to go now. Adrian and your sister should be back any moment. She arose from her armchair and Angelina stood up as well. Angelina offered Sophia her help to stand up and the old woman smiled gratefully. They walked together to the door and left the drawing room.

"One more thing." Sophia said and looked up at Angelina.

"I want you to call me either grandmother or Sophia. I don't want to hear anything like Mrs. Pucey."

Just then Adrian and Julia came back. Julia stood close to her sister and Angelina's hand went automatically to Julia's shoulder.

"You're leaving already?" Adrian asked his grandmother as he stood next to his wife.

"Yes. You know I'm meeting Laura and Simone for Lunch once a week. But the two of us **will** talk, don't worry." She kissed Adrian's cheek and then did the same good bye with Angelina.

"And I will have to come more often so I get to know this young lady." She said and smiled at Julia who was pressing herself back against Angelina's legs.

Sophia made her way to the fireplace in the library to floo back to her home. But before she walked into the library she turned around one last time and saw Adrian leading Angelina and Julia upstairs. His hand rested on Angelina's back while they walked.

"_Forse un giorno… non si sa mai_…" she said to herself as she made her way home.

* * *

"I hope you'll like your room." Adrian said to Julia before he opened the door. Julia gasped when she looked into the room and Adrian thought that the house elves had really done a good job at changing the colour of the room.

This had to be the room of a princess! The whole furniture was white and rose coloured. There were paintings of kittens, puppets, and other baby animals on the walls. A white desk and a white chair stood in front of a window with rose curtains. A huge white wardrobe, two empty white shelves and a set of three white and rose armchairs that had the perfect size for her were also in the room.

But it was the white four-poster bed that caught her eyes immediately. The rose coloured curtains were open, revealing the rose beddings. The mattress looked even softer than the one in the hotel had been.

"Wow!"

"I take it that you like it then." Adrian said and Julia turned around to stare at him.

"This is really for me?"

"Of course." He frowned when he looked at the empty shelves.

"We will have to do some shopping I fear. You will need some more dresses. And then we will make sure you get something to fill these shelves with. Toys, books, anything you want."

Julia just looked at Adrian, unable to speak.

"Thank you." She finally managed to say.

* * *

Adrian turned around in his bed and opened his eyes sleepily. The first thing he noticed was that Angelina wasn't lying next to him. He frowned at this. Then his eyes caught a movement at the windows and he saw Angelina standing there in a dressing gown, looking out into the rain that was pouring down onto the land.

Her hand rested on the glass of the big window, which reached from the ceiling of the room down to the floor.

"What are you doing?" Adrian asked her silently.

"I missed this." Angelina said and laughed slightly.

"The rain. I missed the rain. I had no idea how much until now." She turned around, almost expecting him to laugh at her, but he merely lifted the blanket he was lying under, silently asking her to join him in bed again. Angelina bit her lower lip as she walked towards the bed. She let the dressing gown fall before she followed the unspoken invitation and slipped into the bed.

Adrian pulled her close to him and ran his hand over her stomach.

"It is still pretty early." He whispered and kissed her neck. Angelina sighed under his touch and let herself fall barely able to wait until she would fly again.

* * *

Wow, I wrote this in less than six hours. Without any (real) interruptions. (Save for when I was looking up words).

**Translation**:

chiasso – row, racket

dignità – dignity

orgoglio – pride

coraggio - courage

indipendente – independent

tristezza - grief, sorrow

furia – fury

dolore – pain

stupido! – idiot!

Conosco questa faccia – I know this face.

Conosco questi occhi. – I know these eyes.

Zitto! – quiet!

punto e basta – and that's it

Orsacchiotto – teddy bear

Forse un giorno – maybe one day

Non si sa mai… – you never know…

Oh, yes, I've decided to write my livejournal bilingual, so it is now also English. The link can be found on my profile's page.


	8. Talkings

Writer's block, the heat, thunderstorms, writing job applications have kept me from writing this chapter. The only thing I've really been doing in the past week (other than passing my final exams…) is reading.

After reading HBP I'm really glad that I'm not writing one of the 'main' characters! At least I don't have to fear that it ruined my story :D

I'll make it short, for it is already 01:47 a.m.

**TriGemini**: Ah, yes, Camille, I promise you, you will see more of her later…

**BattlestarPolaris**: Ah, don't worry, I'm not planning on making Sophia anything other than what she appeared to be!

**Mistress of the Red Kiwi**: Oh, I'm planning some scenes with Sophia! (and together with Marjory, so I can have her annoy that woman a bit more!)

**Mistyqueen**: Thank you! I'm sorry you had to wait a bit longer this time…

**Fujutsu**: Thank you!

**Rupert's honey**: Aw, thank you! (But I really doubt that this chapter is better than the last one, especially since the last one has been my favourite one so far)

**Andybear09**: I like Grandma, too:D And do you really believe **_I_** could make the lives of Angelina and Julia worse… uhm, actually, I do….

**Ashliegh**: Awwwww, thank you! I also liked the last scene a lot, starting from Angelina looking at the rain and feeling at home again until she is lying in Adrian's arms… while the world outside is grey and cloudy, the two of them… oh, I just now realised that this scene was actually a real good metaphor for what could develop…

**

* * *

Chapter 7**

**Talkings**

It had been two weeks since they had returned to England. The first day a tailor had come and had taken measures of Angelina and Julia and two days later their wardrobes had been full of new, _very_ expensive dresses.

Julia's room was filled with toys, books, painting books, crayons, stuffed animals… well, there was not a single toy she didn't have. Sophia had kept her promise and had visited almost every day in the past two weeks and Dyson had visited a few times as well.

So, one would think everything was perfect. Julia liked living in England, having a room to herself and she already called Sophia 'Grandma Sophia'. Adrian was the perfect gentleman, not once showing any sign of anger or brutality and he even seemed to grow closer to Julia.

But of course it couldn't be so good…

Marjory made sure of this! There was barely a day Camille Crowfeather wasn't there to _visit_. When Adrian was away and neither Sophia nor Dyson were there for a visit – which was barely the case – Angelina was with Julia in her room, teaching her to read and to write and everything else she should learn.

And now, after two weeks back in England, Adrian brought Angelina to a lawyer, so she could find out about the heritage she and Julia had inherited. Or at least, that had been the plan until Adrian and Angelina walked into the office.

"I'm sorry, but this is all I can tell you." The lawyer told Adrian and Angelina and closed the folder in front of him.

"This can't be possible! The Johnson's were everything but poor, there daughters must have inherited something."

"As I already said Mr. Pucey, it has been four years, the money went to the state over a year ago."

"And what about personal belongings? The house?"

"The house has been pulled down and the personal belongings weren't of any value to the state, so…"

Angelina barely listened anymore as Adrian discussed with the lawyer. The small hope she had had to receive something from her parents had been destroyed in a matter of minutes.

Her hand went to her necklace and closed around the locket. So this was really the last thing that was left of her parents. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, Adrian had already arisen from the chair he had been sitting on. Angelina followed his action and after a rather cold goodbye to the lawyer they left the office.

* * *

They were walking through the busy streets of wizarding London, Adrian's arm around her waist. The city had changed, Angelina mused. Shops had vanished, new ones had appeared, it was as though she walked through a completely different town than the one she had known from some years ago.

"I'm sorry there's nothing left from your parents for you two." Adrian said suddenly. Angelina nodded slowly, not sure what she should answer him.

"I had hoped to not be completely dependent on you for money." She admitted softly as they walked past new and old shops. She looked at the people in the street, seeing no one she remembered and wondered silently what had happened to her friends in the past years. Had they survived the war?

"It is your money now as well." Adrian spoke through her thoughts.

"You said you didn't want a wife who throws your money away." She said thinking that she didn't even know how long the war had been. Her parents had only written that it could start any day but she never got a letter from them when the war had been.

"I trust you to have enough sense to stop before spending our money is considered throwing it away." Adrian said and once again interrupted her thoughts.

"And one would think that after the past four years you deserve to buy yourself and your sister something."

Angelina was surprised by this statement. So surprised that she stopped for a moment. Adrian was about to ask her why she had stopped when he heard his name being called. He turned around and faced a man in his late forties.

"Adrian, it has been a long time since I've seen you! Congratulations on winning the last year."

Adrian simply nodded and pulled Angelina slightly closer to him.

"And who is your beautiful companion?" the man asked and Angelina could see his yellow teeth while he smiled at her.

"This is my wife. Angelina, this is Denton Weatherfly, he was a business friend of my father." Adrian introduced them and Denton Weatherfly immediately took Angelina's hand in his and brought it to his lips.

"I'm delighted to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Pucey."

Angelina forced herself to smile at him while she wanted nothing more than to pull her hand free and wash it – until her skin would come off. He held her hand too long for her liking. She didn't know if it was her own doing or if it was Adrian who pulled her closer to him, but she found herself pressed tightly against him.

When Denton Weatherfly spoke to Adrian again and enquired about the well being of Adrian's mother Angelina pulled her hand out of his and rubbed it secretly on her dress.

After five more dreadful minutes Denton Weatherfly finally left and Angelina sighed. Adrian looked at her and raised his eyebrows at her but didn't say a word.

* * *

"Angie! Angie! Grandma Sophia is teaching me Italian!" Julia ran towards her sister as soon as she and Adrian returned home.

"Do you want to hear?"

Angelina nodded when she kneed down next to her sister.

"_Mi sorella è stupenda_."

"What does it mean?" Angelina asked her smiling sister.

"She said that her sister is gorgeous." Adrian translated. Angelina looked surprised up at him.

"You speak Italian?"

Adrian shrugged his shoulders but before he could answer, Sophia came slowly towards them.

"Of course he does." Sophia said before she kissed Adrian's cheek as a greeting.

"And I'm glad to have a willing _alluno_, a willing student for a change. And one who doesn't only want to learn the _imprecazioni._" Sophia looked at Adrian.

"I was a six year old boy when you tried to teach me in earnest. Of course the most important words for me were swearwords!" Adrian simply replied. Sophia sighed and shook her head. She then turned to Angelina again.

"We are going shopping _domani_, tomorrow." She told the young woman, translating the Italian word immediately.

"Why?" Adrian asked her confused.

"Because Angelina needs a new dress for the _ricevimento_, the reception we will give next week to celebrate your wedding."

Adrian frowned at this.

"Don't even start to ask whether we have to do this. You know very well that we do! And just because your mother doesn't think of finally announcing that you're married doesn't mean that I will let it slip as well! We will give this reception for the usual people and for this Angelina will need a new dress."

"Why don't we just let a tailor come here?"

Sophia sighed heavily at this.

"_Uomini_! You men can't understand this, can you? There is no fun in having a tailor come into your house."

Angelina had to suppress a laugh at this while Adrian shook his head.

"You will have the last word in this anyway, won't you?"

Sophia smiled broadly at him.

"Good boy! Now, if only your mother would realise this, too."

* * *

Angelina slowly pulled the blanket up to her shoulder when she heard Adrian lying down on his side of the bed. She heard him turning around several times until he lay still with a final sigh. He had done this every evening during the past four days. Since the day she told him she wouldn't be able to sleep with her for the next few days.

It was almost as though not being able to sleep with her made him also unable to sleep. She had often heard him turning and tossing around during the past few days. Why she had heard him? Because she herself had barely slept. Although she wasn't sure what kept her awake. The fear from more nightmares, Adrian's tossing and turning or the same reason that seemed to keep him awake.

She didn't want to think about it right now. But there was also something else on her mind.

"Adrian?" she asked and turned slightly around to see him lying on his back, his eyes still wide open.

"Mhm?" he moved his head and looked asking at her.

"If we have a son and he is grown up…will he… will he have to get the mark?"

Adrian frowned slightly. Why would she ask something like this now?

"The dark Lord doesn't need any sign for his followers in these days. There's no one who could go against him anymore. Our child wouldn't get the mark. Why are you asking?"

Angelina didn't answer him just shrugged before she turned back around and wished him a good night.

About ten minutes later Adrian sighed silently. He understood. The first night, when Angelina had kept him from bringing his left arm close to her eyes, had not been the only time she had done something like that. She always closed her eyes or turned her head or held his hand and thus kept him from bringing his arm close to her face. Why hadn't he realised earlier that she had avoided it? Well, he wouldn't ignore her reaction, that was for sure.

He ran his hand through his hair and looked at his sleeping wife. If only it wouldn't take too long until he could finally touch her again. He could barely wait to feel her, taste her and see the passion and satisfaction on her face, hear her moaning his name when they came together…

He groaned and turned on his side. Was it really too much he asked for when he wanted to sleep one complete night? Obviously it was and he turned back around. So this would then again be a sleepless night!

Two hours later Adrian was still wide awake, but he had ceased turning from one side to the other and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.

The door to Adrian's and Angelina's bedroom opened slowly and Adrian sat up in his bed and saw Julia looking into the room. She looked at him and bit her lip, her teddy held tightly to her chest.

"I can't sleep." She whispered and looked at her sleeping sister.

"You want to sleep here?" Adrian asked her and Julia happily nodded before she walked slowly towards Angelina's side of the bed. Adrian put his hand on Angelina's shoulder and woke her up just in time for her to see her sister standing next to the bed.

"Julia, did you have a nightmare?"

Julia nodded and Angelina let her crawl under the blanket. Julia, however, crawled over her sister and lay down between Angelina and Adrian. Angelina was surprised by her behaviour put nonetheless she turned around and put her arm around her younger sister.

Julia snuggled closer to Angelina before she moved her hand behind her and searched for Adrian's. She brought it around her body and to Angelina's waist. Now lying safely between the two of them and having made sure that Adrian could also protect Angelina Julia wished them a good night. It didn't take long for the girl to fall asleep.

Angelina looked over Julia's head into Adrian's eyes and swallowed.

"Thank you." She whispered to him before she too went back to sleep. And it seemed as though Hypnos was finally showing pity on Adrian and let him sleep through the rest of the night.

* * *

Hypnos was the Greek god of sleep (son of Nyx – night, brother of thanatos – death, and father of Morpheus – dream) 


	9. Mine!

Hey! First, a stupid writer's block kept me from writing more than a sentence (again), then suddenly, I found myself writing very much and thus, found the chapter to be longer than I intended (especially if I wanted to post it anytime soon). So I divided the chapter in two parts. Here you'll find the first one and the second one will hopefully be up soon.

Okay, so I've noticed I've been a bit too unclear about why Adrian couldn't touch her. But I just didn't want to write it was her time of the month or something like this. I was about to clear this in this chapter, but it wouldn't have appeared until the second part of the chapter, so I thought I should clear it here.

I'm making it short again. (I'm tired as hell!)

**Tiarwen**: To say the truth, I also like the chapter before better. But well, I'll try to make it better again…

**TriGemini**: I know, not that much action right now, but it'll change already at the end here (at least slightly)…

**Andybear09**: okay, so it took me again a bit longer than it should have… but I hope the chapter itself will make up for the delay. As for the sleeping read second paragraph of my AN above.

**Ashliegh**: Ah, don't worry, the fawning bit is not at all annoying:D As for the sleeping read second paragraph of my AN above.

**BattlestarPolaris**: Oh yes, Denton will surely make up for the loss Angelina has suffered…. (Yes, this is pure sarcasm :D)

**Fujutsu**: thank you, I'm glad you liked it.

**AngelinaBallerinaJKOL**: Thank you! Sorry it took me again a bit longer to update.

**Offprint**: Aww, thank you! I'm glad you like it!

**Abbey**: Thank you!

**bRaTsKi**: Thank you!

**Mistyqueen**: Thank you! Glad you liked it!

**Rupert's honey**: Thank you. I'm glad you liked it! As for the sleeping read second paragraph of my AN above.

**Angelface04**: Oh yes, we will definitely see all three persons again!

**

* * *

Chapter 8**

**Mine!**

"No, that's just not it." Sophia said for about the twentieth time. Angelina sighed when she went to change into the next dress. When she came back out, Sophia's eyes widened slightly and she smiled.

"Yes. That's the perfect dress for the reception." The old woman arose from her chair and walked towards Angelina.

"_Sì, perfetto_!" she turned Angelina towards the full length mirror to her right and let the young woman look at herself.

The dress was made of green velvet and shimmered in the light of the shop. It fell around her body like a second skin. Two silver brooches held the fabric on her shoulders and let the dress fall on top of her breasts, looking like green waves on her dark skin. Most of her back was bare and just like over her breasts the dress fell in waves over her bottom.

"_Come una principessa_." Sophia smiled and tried to hold Angelina hair up.

"All we need is a nice hairdo and the princess is perfect. Your mother would be so proud could she see you now."

Angelina sighed. She knew Sophia was right. She remembered the look on her mother's face when she had showed her the picture of her at the Yule ball Alicia had taken.

"I wish she could see me now." She whispered and touched the locket.

"I'm sure she does." Sophia replied and put her hand onto Angelina's shoulder. "If there was one person who would be an angel now, it was your mother."

Sophia turned around towards the shop owner and nodded at him.

"We'll take that dress. Deliver it next Saturday."

"And we are going to see Adrian now." She said when she turned back towards Angelina.

* * *

Angelina stopped when they stood in front of the stadium of the Ballycastle Bats and frowned. She knew that Sophia's husband had been the owner of the Bats but…

"I take it that Adrian hasn't told you he inherited the team and the stadium from Briscoe?"

Angelina shook slowly her head and Sophia sighed murmuring something in Italian while she shook her head and lead Angelina farther towards the stadium. When they entered Sophia lead her through the hallway which led to the pitch. On the walls were pictures of former teams looking at them. Angelina stopped in front of one from the seventies.

One of the chasers, a tall, dark skinned man smiled broadly at her and waved slowly. Angelina reached her hand out put before she could touch the picture she let her hand fall to her side again.

"This was the season when you were born." Sophia said behind her. "Your father scored every goal for you."

Angelina smiled sadly at her words and took one last look at the picture of her father before she turned around. She could see the pitch now where the current team was standing in the sand, obviously just finished with training and discussing it. She watched the members of the team and suddenly frowned. She almost believed….

"Angelina? Are you feeling _indisposta_… ill?" But Angelina didn't react to Sophia's voice.

* * *

There is a proverb that says there are first times for everything. Today, the members of the Ballycastle Bats were witnesses of such a first time. And what a first time! Never before had anyone seen this happening, and probably, no one would ever again.

While they stood there in a circle on the pitch, talking about the training and the upcoming game Oliver Wood, the team's keeper dropped his broom.

"Wood? Are you alright?" Steven Bartleby, the seeker and captain of the team asked him. But he didn't get a reply. Oliver was staring straight at the opening of the building where two woman, one of them was obviously Mrs. Pucey, were standing.

"Oliver?" Steven had never seen his keeper so pale, not even during one of his stays in St. Mungo's. Oliver murmured something and then walked slowly towards the two women, leaving a baffled team behind.

* * *

"Oh my god!"

"Angelina?" Sophia followed Angelina's gaze and saw one of the players heading for them.

Oliver walked slowly closer to Angelina and shook his head when he finally stopped right in front of her. He took her face in his hands as though he wanted to make sure that she was real while he continued to shake his head.

"Angelina…"

Hearing her name brought Angelina back to reality and she threw her arms around Oliver's neck. He put his arms around her waist and hugged her while he tried to understand how she could be here.

Oliver pulled slightly back from her and looked at her face.

"You're alive! You're back! And… and… you're alright, aren't you?"

Angelina laughed at Oliver's confused babbling and the look on his face.

"Of course I'm alright."

"And Jul?"

"She's fine, too."

"But… why didn't you come back when I wrote you the war was over? I thought you…"

Angelina frowned at this.

"I never received a letter from you." She told him while Oliver continued to look at her, his hands moving from her waist to her shoulders, to her face and back to her shoulders as though he wanted to make sure that she was really standing in front of him.

"What are you doing here? Where have you been all these years? What happened…?"

"I don't think I've ever heard you ask so many questions." Angelina smiled at him.

"I…I..." Oliver wasn't sure what he wanted to say. For four years he had thought her dead and now she was standing in front of him, smiling, healthy and wearing a dress – a dress! – which must be very expensive.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her once more. Angelina looked at Sophia who was standing behind her, looking curiously at the two. Angelina bit her lip unsure how she should explain what had happened in the past years. She couldn't very well tell him this in the middle of a hallway – with several people watching them.

"Sophia, would you please excuse us for a moment?" She asked with pleading eyes. Sophia nodded at the request.

"I could need a break anyway. I'll be in the bistro." She said and pointed towards another hallway. "The young man can surely show you the way when you're finished talking and then we can go to meet Adrian."

Angelina nodded at this and felt herself relax slightly when Sophia headed towards the bistro. She hoped Sophia hadn't gotten any wrong ideas about her and Oliver.

"Can we talk somewhere?" she asked as she turned around to her old friend. Oliver nodded and lead her to one of the stands.

"So, where were you and Julia all those years?" Oliver asked her once they were seated. But Angelina shook her head.

"Later. First I want you to tell me about the war. What happened?"

Oliver sighed. His gaze followed a sparrow that flew over the stadium, following another of his kind as he remembered.

"I was in St. Mungo's, so I might not be the best source of information." He started. Angelina noticed that was nervous as though he didn't want to think about it. The way he alternatively squeezed and stroke her hand was a huge indication for this.

"At first there were several attacks from the death eaters. Theatres, restaurants, stadiums… wherever they could reach a lot of people. These attacks seemed to be completely uncoordinated. They happened sporadic, no sign of a real meaning behind it other than to kill and to scare those who survived.

"Four days and about seven or eight attacks." His hand squeezed hers tightly when he continued.

"On a Saturday afternoon one of the mediwitches came into my room and told me that my parents had died in an attack that morning."

"Saturday?" Angelina asked, her heart clenching together.

"Yes, during their weekly brunch."

"I always wondered how and when my parents…"

"I thought about sending you an owl but I didn't want you to find it out this way. I wanted to tell you to your face. It's bad enough that there is no grave for them, the least I wanted to do was be there when I told you what had happened to your parents." They sat in silence for some time before Angelina asked Oliver what happened after this attack.

"I don't really remember what day it was, but I was still in St. Mungo's. – Stupid blugder had hit me really bad that time – But I was allowed to leave my room and walk around. I heard another patient reading from the newspaper. Harry Potter had been killed by You-Know-Who. The killing curse straight through his heart. His body was found in front of the Ministry. Next to him were the ones of his friends, you know, the younger brother of Fred and George…"

"Ron."

Oliver nodded at the name.

"Yes, Ron. And the girl who was always with them. The one who charmed Harry's glasses during one game… Hillary, Harmony…"

"Hermione."

"They weren't killed by the killing curse. They must have been tortured before they had died. And not only with curses and hexes. At least, the girl had also been tortured in a non-magical way…"

Angelina shuddered as images of what the three of them must have been through before they had died entered her mind. Although the day was rather sunny, she felt rather cold all of a sudden.

"Then everything went rather fast. About a week, maybe two, later, the Minister resigned. The deatheaters which had still been in Azkaban were freed and instead of them several aurors and people of a group called the order of… phoenix, yes, I think that was it, were imprisoned there.

"There was no one left to fight. With Harry gone, Dumbledore dead… there just wasn't anyone left. I remember the day I was allowed to leave St. Mungo's. It was the day when the death eaters held the trials."

Angelina looked confused at Oliver and he went to explain.

"They wanted to make an example of some aurors and some members of this order by killing them publicly. To make sure no one would ever think about revolting against You-Know-Who. We… we were gathered together. Everyone had to witness one of these trials. Executions would be a better name than trial. There was no judge, no lawyer… nothing. Just those who were meant to die and the… things… that would kill them…"

"Things?"

Oliver nodded and shuddered as he recalled that one day four years ago.

"Do you remember Professor Lupin?" He waited for her saying yes before he continued.

"He looked already more dead than alive. And then there was this… I don't know, he looked like a man but… then he growled and… he was like one of those monsters you dream about as a child. He looked like what my parents told me werewolves look like, but it was the middle of a day and the full moon was still two weeks away and … it was horrible…"

He looked at Angelina and she could see the horror in his eyes.

"You can really be glad you weren't here then. You must be the only person in this country who hasn't seen one of these murders. And believe me, it was something I wouldn't wish on anyone."

"Everyone was killed in such a way?"

"No, not everyone who fought against them. I don't exactly know what happened with the rest. I guess no one but the death eaters does know that." He shook his head and tried to fight the memories. When he turned his face around to her he had a smile on his face.

"But enough of the bad memories. Where have you been all these years? And what brought you here today?"

Angelina swallowed. Hadn't Oliver just said they should leave the bad memories?

"I… it was hell." She started and looked down.

"I… I don't want to talk about it … ever… you just have to believe me…"

Oliver placed his hand on Angelina's shoulder and rubbed it gently.

"It's okay, I didn't mean to cause any bad memories."

Angelina shook her head and looked at him again.

"As for why I'm here… one evening … someone found me and offered to bring me back to England. That's how I came here." She was playing with the thin white gold ring on her finger.

"You're married?" Oliver asked when he saw the ring on her finger.

Angelina nodded and cleared her throat.

"With Adrian Pucey."

She could have suddenly turned pink – Oliver couldn't have looked more shocked at her statement. It took him a few moments before he got a grip on himself again.

"Has he threatened you? Is he forcing you to do this?"

"No, no, Oliver it's not like this. He's treating me with respect and he's not forcing me to do anything."

"He's not abusing you, is he! He's not hitting you or …!"

"No. Oliver believe me, I'm fine. Better than I've been in the past years. And so is Julia."

Oliver took her face in his hands and looked deep in her eyes.

"You're saying the truth, right? You are alright? And Jul is alright, too? And you married of your own free will and you're happy with him?"

Angelina covered his hands with her own and tried to smile at him.

"I'm as happy as I could be in a marriage." She told him truthfully and Oliver winced at this.

"I'm going to kill him if he hurts you."

"I know." Angelina said gently and hugged Oliver once more.

"We should head back. Your _husband_ doesn't like to wait."

"Why are you playing for him anyway?" She asked him while they walked back. Oliver shrugged.

"I've got to play somewhere. It's not like there is a team left which isn't owned by some death eater."

"Do you know what happened to Alicia and Katie?" Angelina wanted to know before they reached the building.

"I know that Alicia is living in France now. She married some French guy two years ago. And Katie has moved to Ireland. Her parents went there to take care of Katie's grandmother and she went along with them. They both wanted to be away from here."

By now they had reached the entrance of the stadium's building. They heard footsteps and when she turned around, Angelina saw Adrian heading their way. His face was a mask of stone. She turned back to face Oliver.

"I have to go now." She told him and smiled at him. Oliver looked at Adrian and frowned.

"I'll see you again, right?"

"Of course." She said and hugged him before she told him to go while she turned around and went hurriedly to Adrian. Oliver, however, was still standing where she had left him and watched the two of them, ready to stand in front of Angelina if she needed him to.

And to judge by the look on Adrian's face, he was sure she would need him…


	10. Mine! part II

I had really expected to be able to post this sooner, but then some parts just didn't want to be written and it took me some more time until I finally had them on the paper… or rather on the hard disk.

Okay, I'll make it really short today, cause I'm tired as hell!

**Redcandle17**, **Tiarwen**, **TriGemini**, **mistyqueen**, **Eruaphadriel**, **Mistress of the Red Kiwi**, **fujutsu**, **Rupert's honey**, **Silver Scribes**, **bratski**, **Missi-Mooloo**,** Ashliegh**, and **nikki** thank you all for your reviews!

**Silver Scribes**: No, it wasn't Oliver. If it had been him, Angelina wouldn't have been talking to him, less alone hug him and let him hold her.

* * *

…Angelina stopped right in front of her husband. She brought her hand to his neck and pulled his head to her so she could kiss him. Of course she had taken Adrian by surprise but after a moment he returned the kiss, his arms wrapping themselves around Angelina's waist.

She slowly ended the kiss, her hand resting on his chest. Adrian pulled his arms away from her and looked asking at her.

"Why did you just kiss me?"

Angelina put more pressure on his chest, sensing that Oliver was still standing behind her and not wanting to let Adrian go.

"I was trying to keep you from doing something that one of us would surely regret!" she replied. Adrian looked over her shoulder at Oliver and Angelina felt him tense underneath her hand.

"Adrian." She was trying to get his attention back to her. "Oliver has been my friend since… forever. He was always there, even before I could walk or speak. His mother was my godmother, as was my mother to him. He's like a brother to me." She paused a moment before she continued to speak.

"I haven't asked anything from you for me. And I won't ask for anything else if you just grant me one wish: don't keep me from seeing Oliver."

Adrian looked at her without any emotion showing on his face or in his eyes. He looked over her shoulder at Oliver again then back at her. Without saying anything he turned around and walked away from her.

"Adrian…" Angelina could feel a soft hand on her arm and turned around to see Sophia standing next to her. The old woman shook her head and looked after her retreating grandson.

"Give him time. He is a _testardo_. Just like his grandfather." Sophia smiled at the memories. "Briscoe was just as stubborn as Adrian."

"And what did you do when he just walked away without a word?" Angelina sighed. She looked at Sophia and saw her smiling.

"That depended on why he walked away, but mostly I got him to talk to me again by… ah, well, if you can't guess this than you will have a long, hard married life ahead of you." Sophia winked at Angelina. But she could tell that Angelina had wanted a different answer.

"Make him see that he's the only man for you." She told Angelina, the smile gone from her face. "And don't let him doubt you."

* * *

Angelina sat on her bed while her thoughts went back to what Oliver had told her. Her parents had always met with Oliver's on Saturdays for brunch. Never had they missed one. And this had then been the reason for their death? This wasn't fair!

"Angie?" She turned towards the door to see Julia peeking through the halfway open door. Angelina smiled at her sister and the younger girl came running to her and sat down next to her on the bed.

"What are you thinking about?" Julia asked her when she leaned her head against her sister's arm. Angelina brought her arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.

"I've been thinking of mum and dad." Angelina said while she ran her hand through Julia's hair.

"I miss them." The seven-year-old said silently.

"I miss them, too, Julia." Angelina whispered and kissed Julia's head.

"Come, you should go to bed now." Julia nodded.

"This mean woman is here again." She said when Angelina brought her to her room. _'This mean woman'_ was Julia's term for Camille Crowfeather. Angelina sighed at the knowledge of the woman being here.

* * *

Adrian was just walking into the house when Angelina came down the stairs. Their eyes found each other at the same moment a voice that he absolutely detested called his name.

"Adrian. It's so nice to see you again. It has been so long since we last saw each other."

Adrian sighed when Camille came from the drawing room and headed directly towards him. He raised his eyebrows when she stopped in front of him, smiling up at him as she batted her eyes at him.

"We just saw each other two days ago, Camille." He replied while he watched out of the corner of his eyes as Angelina reached the last step of the staircase.

_Make him see that he's the only man for you_. Angelina remembered Sophia's words. _And while I'm at it I better make Camille see that I'm the only woman for him_. She thought as she made her way over to where Adrian and Camille were standing. Now she could only hope Adrian wouldn't push her away.

Gathering up every little bit of Gryffindor courage inside her she walked to her husband and ran her hand from his chest to his shoulder.

"You're late." She whispered and leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

"I missed you." Her breath ran over his ear. Adrian brought his hands to her waist when Angelina's lips travelled closer towards his mouth. A low growl escaped from the depths of his throat when their lips met.

His grip on her waist tightened when she parted her lips to welcome his tongue into her mouth. God, this woman could make him forget everything around him. The way she looked up at him with those dark brown, passion filled eyes as they parted. The way her breath tickled his skin. The way her hands felt on his shoulders as though she was holding herself up only by this action.

"Come to bed." She asked him silently and kissed him again, gentler this time and shorter.

"I'll be there in a minute." Adrian replied and let slowly go of her. He headed towards the kitchen and left the two women in the hall.

"I wish you a good night Camille." Angelina smiled at the blonde woman next to her.

* * *

Adrian opened the door to their bedroom to find Angelina sitting on the bed, her legs pulled close to her. Her black hair fell over her shoulders, hiding the thin straps of the golden negligee she was wearing. All she would need to make the picture complete would be a pair of white feather wings.

When his eyes rested on her face or more precisely on her eyes he saw the uncertainty in them.

"Are you angry at me for asking you about seeing Oliver?" she asked quietly when he closed the door behind himself. Adrian sighed and leaned against the closed door.

"I'm not angry at you." He finally says, his eyes closed. When he opened them again he saw Angelina holding her hand out for him to take.

"Come to bed." She whispered again. Adrian did as she asked and kneed down on the bed, next to her. He ran his right hand through her hair and gently pulled her face close to his.

"I want to know when you meet him." He whispered. Normally it was a request that Angelina would have immediately refused but the look in his eyes – desperate and pleading – was something she couldn't say _no_ to. Not when it came from a man as Adrian. And so she nodded.

Adrian touched her lips with his own. His hand buried in her hair, he kept her close to his face. With every second the kiss became more and more heated. Angelina started to unbutton his shirt. Adrian's hand slid to her leg stroking the soft skin of her thigh.

When Angelina had finished unbuttoning his shirt and had managed to pull it of his body her eyes fell on the bandage he had on his left arm. She pulled back from him immediately and frowned at it.

"You are hurt?" she asked and touched the bandage softly.

"No." Adrian answered and kissed her neck. He laid her down on the bed and moved the negligee farther up her legs.

"Then why the bandage?" Angelina asked confused.

"That way you don't have to see the…" Angelina interrupted him by pulling him into another kiss. She had already understood. He had bandaged his arm so she wouldn't see the dark mark on it again.

Her fingers moved to undo his trousers and as soon as she had the buttons open her hand moved underneath the fabric. Adrian groaned into her mouth as her fingers wrapped themselves around him.

He nibbled at her bottom lip while he pushed the golden negligee up to her waist. His fingers moved back towards her legs and he stroked the inside of her thigh. Angelina sighed heavily as his fingers moved farther north. She threw her head back into the pillow and granted Adrian access to her neck.

Adrian kissed and nibbled his way from her lips over her neck to the hem of the negligee. His fingers were stroking her slowly, keeping the same rhythm her own hand set inside of his trousers.

"I need you." Angelina told him huskily and moved to pull the last pieces of clothing off of him. Mere seconds later he was lying naked on top of her, his trousers and boxer shorts lying on the floor, covered by her negligee.

She could feel him against her, so close and yet he didn't enter her. It was driving her crazy. She moaned and pushed her hips up to get him to finally move into her. But Adrian merely rubbed himself against her and kissed her cheek.

"You're mine." He whispered and his breath against her skin made her shiver. She looked into his eyes. They were an unusual dark blue, or maybe it was just the lack of light in the room that made them look so dark.

"I'm yours." She whispered back and his lips captured hers when he drove himself deep into her. Adrian's hands roamed over her body when they started to move together.

Their hands tried to touch every inch of the other one's body. Angelina felt as though they were some addicts in search of their drug. Their movements were hectic and chaotic. Their kisses passionate and wild. It wasn't as though they hadn't slept with each other in the past few days. It was more like years. Centuries.

And it didn't make sense. To neither of them. To have such feelings. To feel so complete only when they were united although they didn't love each other. Didn't believe in love. And even if they would have, believed in love that is, they would certainly not have been the wandering soul that had been meant for the other.

And yet, when they came, they screamed the name of the other one out into the night and held tightly onto the other one until they fell onto the bed and stayed there entwined in each other.

For a split second it was good and nothing else. Just good. That is, until they opened their eyes and looked at each other. When icy blue met warm brown – ice met fire – that they let go of each other.

And just as in every other night before, Angelina turned to lie on her side, her back towards her husband. And all Adrian was left to do was fall asleep until the sounds she made when her nightmares reappeared would wake him up again.


	11. Fishes and Birds

Okay, so it took me longer than I planned and it is also shorter than I had planned… but at least it is finally here :D

**TriGemini**: Thank you. I'm glad you liked it!

**Tiarwen**: Camille and Adrian? Which version do you want to hear? Camille's wishful thinking version or the truth? (The truth would be: Nothing happened and nothing would ever happen unless Camille drugged Adrian…)

**Rupert's honey**: Thank you!

**Wayweird**: Oh yes, her ex will definitely be revealed later in the story!

**Eruphadriel**: Aww, thank you soo much! Seems it was good then, that I reread some old poems we had to analyze in school the day I wrote the last part… :D

**Silver Scribes**: Angelina dreams some more of her ex in here… and he will be revealed… later…

**Mistyqueen**: Thank you!

**Mercurian Orchid**: I don't think I could make Angelina have a relationship with Montague and then have them break up! Slytherins deserve a happy ending after all! So, no, not Montague.

**

* * *

Chapter 9**

**Fishes and Birds**

"_Angelina? Are you alright?" Alicia asked her friend worriedly. Angelina was sitting at the window and shrugged._

"_It feels like he's leaving me, not only the school." She admitted sadly._

"_Oh Angie, don't talk like that! You can see him again, anytime you want." Alicia tried to reassure the other girl. When she looked at Angelina's face she saw the tears running over the dark skin and did the only thing she could think of in this situation. She pulled Angelina into a hug and let her cry against her shoulder._

* * *

"_Oh Angel, I wish I knew what to say to make it better." Leila Johnson was sitting on the edge of her daughter's bed, her hand stroking over the shaking back of the crying young woman._

"_There's nothing to make it better!" Angelina cried._

"_I thought he loved me, mama!"_

_Leila leaned over her child and kissed her head. _

"_One day you will find someone who really loves you Angel." She whispered._

"_I don't care! There is no love! It doesn't exist! I won't believe in it anymore!" Angelina sobbed and buried her head deeper in the pillow. Leila Johnson sighed and continued to stroke her daughter's back. _

A lonely tear rolled down Angelina's cheek while the memories haunted her dreams. She didn't want to cry over him anymore. But it seemed as though her subconscious had different plans.

* * *

"Don't talk about things you don't know anything about!" Sophia told Marjory during dinner after Adrian's mother had said what she wanted to have served at the reception.

"I won't let you tell me to be quiet in **_my_** house!" Marjory replied, her knuckles turned white as she held tightly onto the knife and the fork.

"This is not your house! It is Adrian's. And I really can't understand how he can stand you living here!" Sophia said calmly and took a sip of her red wine. Marjory gaped at this, arose from her seat and left the room in a hurry.

"**_Nonna_**." Adrian said to his grandmother in a pleading voice.

"What?" Sophia asked him, feigning innocence. She knew Adrian only called her the Italian word for grandma when he wanted something from her. She sighed and patted his hand.

"I know, I know. I shouldn't provoke her. After all it is you who has to live with her every day. But this woman is just so _dannato_ _irritare_ – so damn irritating!"

Adrian was about to reply but at the very same moment his left arm started to burn.

"I have to go." He simply said and arose from his seat. He went to leave the house so he could apparate. Before he closed the door to the dining room he could hear his grandmother saying 'the dark lord' to Angelina as an explanation as to where he was going.

* * *

"Will you answer me a question?"

Angelina looked questioning at Adrian while she brought her arms through the beige dress she was going to wear this day.

"I was wondering why you haven't said anything yet about me being a death eater. Not even yesterday evening."

Angelina sighed and looked out of the window. It wasn't raining – yet – but the sky looked grey and was full of clouds. Big dark clouds which were gathering together and seemed to swallow the few rays of the sun in their darkness.

"It's not as though I hadn't known when we married." She said and looked back at her husband. His eyebrows were raised and it was obvious that he expected more of an answer from her.

"I want this marriage to work. I have to. If I would ask you too much I might end up hearing things I don't want to hear. Things which would cause me to hate and despise you so much that the only way for me to get pregnant with your child would be that you rape me, because I would never let you touch me again."

"I wouldn't rape you. Ever." Adrian told her and came to her. He stepped behind her and stroke Angelina's hair away from her back. He started to close the back of the dress when Angelina responded.

"I know. And that is why I don't say anything about it. If I'd come to hear whom you killed… that friends of me might be among them. That my parents might be…"

"I didn't kill your parents." Adrian interrupted her.

"How can you be so sure of that?"

"They didn't fight. So there is no way I could have killed them." He said and continued to pull on the strings that closed the dress.

"_The Golden Swan_." Angelina said and felt how the strings loosened for a moment before Adrian took them in his hands again.

"Had I been part of this attack I wouldn't be alive today. My grandmother would have killed me herself."

Angelina turned her head slightly to look at him. Adrian lifted his gaze from his work on her dress and met her eyes.

"My grandfather was always meeting business partners in _The Golden Swan_. He was about to contract a new quidditch player when the restaurant was attacked." He closed the strings and stroke again through her hair.

Angelina turned around to face him and frowned at what he had said.

"He wasn't a …"

"Death eater? It didn't matter who was in the restaurant. The attacks were made by some people who didn't want to satisfy themselves with fighting armed opponents. They wanted simply to bring out as much terror as possible. No matter whom they would hurt or kill in the end."

Angelina didn't know what to respond and before she could think of something Adrian had already left the room.

* * *

Angelina was sitting on a small couch in the library. Julia was in front of her, her back leaned against Angelina's chest and her legs were outstretched on the couch and covered with a thin blanket. It was a nice change to all the stress in the last days. The reception was only two days away and Marjory and Sophia still fought about every single detail. Angelina had been avoiding the fights as good as she could. And Julia had always stayed away from Marjory anyway.

She now sat and listened while Angelina read a fairytale to her. She listened while the beautiful little bird made itself at home on a tree near a river. She listened when the bird met a fish who lived in said river and became friends with him. And she listened when the bird and the fish fell in love and lived happily ever after.

"Angie, do you think I will one day find such a love? Like in a fairy tale?"

Angelina smiled and stroke through her sister's hair. She didn't know about the person standing in the door, listening to what she said.

"Why not. We just have to find a prince for you." She replied and turned the page of the fairy tale book to read the second story to Julia.

"And a love like a bird and a fish?" Julia asked hopefully. Angelina sighed and thought about saying _yes_ for a moment. But only for a moment.

"Julia, it is only a fairy tale. The story of the fish and the bird is not believable. Especially not the end of it."

"Why not?" Julia asked and turned her head back to look at her older sister.

"A fish and a bird might fall in love…but where shall they live?"

Julia thought about this for a moment than nodded.

"Read me another story?" she asked and looked pleadingly to her sister.

"Of course." Angelina smiled back. Still neither of them noticed the person standing in the door who was now walking away.

* * *

About an hour later, Adrian walked past the open library door and saw the sisters lying on the couch, both sound asleep. He walked towards the couch and lifted Julia into his arms. She mumbled softly in her sleep while he carried her to her bed.

When he came back down he kneed next to the couch and looked at his wife. She was lying on her back and a strand of her black hair was falling over her neck. Adrian stroke the hair away from her skin, but let his hand rest on her cheek.

"Don't fly away from me Angelina." He whispered before he carried her into their bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and took the dress off of her body. Then he laid down beside her and pulled the blanket over them both.


	12. The Reception

I remember there has been a time when I actually managed to post new chapters on weekends instead of someday in the middle of the week… ah well, at least I post at all, right?

**Silver Scribes**: Ah, I fear you still have to wait a few chapter's for Angelina's ex' identity to be revealed…

**TriGemini**: Glad you liked it! I feared someone would say 'it's too easy' that Angelina doesn't want to hear about Adrian's death eater activities. I'm glad I got it out the right way.

**Redcandle17**: I start to feel with Angelina right now. Having too much time at one's hands can get really boring… I should make sure she gets something to do before she ends up in trouble.

**SlythsRule**: I certainly will!

**Bratski**: I never forget my stories. It just takes me some time sometimes to get to write something… but I hope to write this one with no more than one (at most two) week in between each chapter. (and it wasn't really a fast update, when you posted the review for the one chapter, the other one was already up :))

**Iheartsiriusblack**: Kiss of the rose?

**Rupert's honey**: Thank you. I'm glad you liked it!

**Paixamouretchocolat**: Thank you.

**Angelina-fan**: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy this story so much. And I can reassure you: The story seems to be longer than my other HP-stories (which oddly all three ended at 18 chapters). I won't say anything to the ending up happily together part but I don't plan on either of them cheating on each other (It wouldn't fit with the way I think of their characters in this story, Adrian keeping to family tradition –his grandmother doesn't look kind on adultery – and Angelina keeping to their conditions for the marriage to work out.) I'm also not saying anything about when Angelina is getting pregnant as I think it of a spoiler (opposite to the no-cheating). But they can still have sex when she is pregnant. :D

**Tiarwen**: I'm glad you liked it. And this one here doesn't have a sad ending. :D

And since she wished for it, and since today is her birthday I dedicate this chapter to PikkuEnkeli88! Happy Birthday!

**

* * *

Chapter 10**

**The Reception**

"I still don't understand why I shouldn't be downstairs with Adrian." Angelina said while Sophia tried different hairstyles on Angelina.

"Because you shall have an appearance that will make this Crowfeather-girl want the earth to open and swallow her." Sophia smiled and held up Angelina's hair, then shook her head and let it fall again.

"I hope Julia is alright."

"Ah, don't worry about the little _angelo_. Dyson will make sure she has everything she wants. The way he acts around her lets me hope he'll be a father himself one day. And it would better be in a marriage than through one of his affairs he thinks I don't know of."

Angelina had to smile at this.

"Ah this is it!" Sophia made a quick move with her wand and Angelina's hair curled itself at the back of her head, a few strands falling over her shoulders.

"Yes, it looks fantastic." Sophia exclaimed and nodded while she looked at her granddaughter-in-law.

"I almost wished the two of you would get a girl instead of a boy. But then no one keeps you from getting me a whole quidditch league of great-grandchildren, right?"

Sophia patted Angelina's shoulder.

"Come, we should go now."

* * *

"So, how comes I had to find out in _this_ way that you're married?" Marcus Flint asked when he stepped next to Adrian.

"What do you mean?"

"I am not thinking of anything bad going to happen and then, all of a sudden I'm receiving an invitation to a reception because **_Adrian Pucey_** has recently married **_Angelina Johnson_**. A Gryffindor?"

"Flint, this isn't Hogwarts anymore."

Marcus sighed and shook his head.

"Right. Okay, but at least tell me one thing."

Adrian raised his eyebrows and waited for Marcus to say what he wanted.

"Is she such a wildcat in bed as we expected she'd be back in school?" Marcus asked grinning.

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out!" was Adrian's only reply.

"Aw, come on now!"

"Why should he tell you if he hasn't even told his own cousin?" Dyson asked and slapped Marcus' shoulder as a greeting.

"Because he knows you too well?" Marcus asked in return. Dyson rolled his eyes and was about to reply that Marcus himself was no better than him when it came to women when his eyes fell to the staircase.

"Adrian." He said and nodded in the direction of the stairs.

Adrian looked towards where his cousin pointed and saw his grandmother standing at the bottom of the stairs looking up at the top of the stairs. He was about to ask Dyson what he had meant when he caught sight of a movement upstairs.

Their eyes met and her warm, brown ones held his blue eyes captive when she walked down the stairs. Everything around him seemed to fade away until there was no sound but her footsteps on the steps, no light but the one in her eyes, no colours then the green of her dress, and the gold of her necklace and the brown of her skin and the black of her hair.

He hadn't really noticed that he had walked towards the stairs until she was standing right in front of him and her hand was lying on his palm.

"You look beautiful." He told her and kissed her cheek before he turned back towards their guests.

"Thank you." Angelina replied and they were already facing an older witch and wizard who wanted to congratulate them and – of course to see the bride.

Half an hour later Angelina felt as though her brain might explode any moment. She had never before been introduced to so many people at one time. She had been introduced to every single member of Adrian's family. To every single aunt and uncle, cousin, cousin-in-law, and to the girls three of his cousins already had.

All of them had had the same smile on their face when she had met them and she started to wish Dyson _had_ explained her back in Argentina whom of these cousins she should stay away from.

But she knew one person for sure she wanted to stay away from. The person Marjory Pucey was talking to right now: Denton Weatherfly. After meeting him this one time she had actually hoped to never see him again.

Angelina was standing next to Adrian who was engaged in a conversation with Dyson and Flint at the moment. She looked over Adrian's shoulder and saw Julia sitting on a couch with the three other girls of Adrian's family. Her sister looked towards her and smiled and after saying something to the other girls she arose from her seat and made her way towards Angelina.

Then suddenly everything seemed to happen in slow motion: Julia tried to avoid an older woman who was taking a step back and thus fell against Denton Weatherfly who spilled his glass of champagne over his robes.

Weatherfly turned around furiously. Angelina didn't even hear what he said to her sister. She only saw how Julia landed sitting on the floor. She turned fully around and was about to run to her little sister but before she could make one step Weatherfly was flying through the air and lying on his back only seconds later.

He tried to sit up again and find the source of his fall when he saw Adrian towering over him, the little black girl on his arm, his wand pointing at his face.

"You better stay away from my family or you next time I won't care how well protected you are! And now leave my house!"

"Adrian!" his mother tried to pull his arm away but Adrian shook her off.

"Stay out of this mother." He told her calmly.

"I said you should leave!" he said turning back to Weatherfly. The man on the floor hurried to arose and with a last furious look at Adrian and Julia he left the house. Marjory was looking after him, thinking whether or not she should go after him and try to appease him.

Adrian walked back to where Angelina was standing and let Julia down. The girl immediately ran to her sister and hugged her around the waist while Angelina's eyes were glued to her husband. But he already walked away again. He went towards the stairs and walked upstairs. About the middle of the staircase he stopped, turned around and yelled

"The reception is over." Before he walked on.

A mumble rose amongst the guests at this. Sophia came up behind Angelina and put her hand on the young woman's elbow.

"Go after him." She said softly when Angelina looked at her.

"I'll see that the guests will leave, and I'm sure Dyson will help me. And then I'll bring Julia to bed."

"Will you read me a story?" Julia asked.

"Of course." Sophia said smiling and stroke over Julia's head.

"Now go!" she told Angelina again and shoved her gently towards the stairs.

* * *

Angelina opened the door to their bedroom silently and stepped into the room. She saw Adrian standing at the window, looking out of it into the night.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and turned his head slightly.

"I didn't come to hear an apology from you." Angelina replied and went to stand closer behind him.

"I came to thank you for helping Julia."

Adrian turned around to face her. His eyes rested on her face but nevertheless Angelina felt as though he wasn't really looking at her. His hand reached out for one of the strands that curled around her neck and he played with it between his fingers.

"I shouldn't have acted so fast." He whispered as though he hadn't heard her at all.

"If you hadn't I would have probably jumped at him and tried to scratch his eyes out or something. I wouldn't have even thought about using a wand. It would have been a worse scene than what _did_ happen."

His eyes met hers and she found him even smiling a bit.

"You really are a lioness, aren't you?" Adrian brought his free hand to her hair and pulled the single pin out of it which held the hair magical up. The pin fell to the floor as his hand tangled in the black mass of curls and he pulled her slowly towards him.

The kiss that met her lips was almost chaste but she could feel that he was holding back – as though he feared to hurt her.

"I wanted to kill him." He admitted as he parted his lips from hers.

"You didn't." was all she said before he captured her lips again. She was right, he hadn't killed him. But Adrian knew he would have, had it been Angelina Weatherfly had touched he wouldn't be alive anymore. But he thought this to be one of the things that were better left unsaid. And so he simply pulled her towards the bed and continued to kiss her while he took the dress off of her.


	13. Honeymoon

It's not much (and I mean it, it is REALLY short!), but I wanted to sooth my conscience since _The Sims 2: Nightlife_ is coming out this week and I already know that I'm going to play a lot this weekend…

**Eruphadriel**: Thank you! I'm glad you liked the chapter! And I really hope you don't have any heart problems which I made worse with it…

**Rupert's honey**: Oh yes, he is! And you should see him when he's lying naked in bed… uh… not that I know how he looks like naked or anything… _hides __Adrian in closet with Oliver and Marcus_

**TriGemini**: I really don't know what to say other than: How did you get into my head? You really seem to know my characters better than I do most of the times… it's starting to scare me ;p

**Bratski**: Yes, poor Julia, I decided to give her some holiday to make it up :D

**Wozzie-chick**: Weatherfly used words to describe children I've never heard before and since English is not my native tongue I was scared to write them down ;p

**Tiarwen**: Well then, I hope you have a good day with this one :D

**Potter4823**: Thank you. Glad you like it!

**Ashliegh**: I just HAD to bring Marcus in :D What Weatherfly said to Julia … read what I wrote to Wozzie-chick :) and Every sane person would despise him! He's just one of those people that you can't like!

**Mistyqueen**: Thank you!

**Slymom**: Thank you!

**Angelface04**: ha, you're talking to one of the worst reviewers alive here (honestly, I have to write it on post-its so I don't forget reviewing!) I'm glad you liked the chapters! (I loved that 'flying'-line too:D)

**Angelina-fan**: Well, I was an Angelina/Fred fan once too (I even had them as a couple in a former fic) but somehow these Slytherins just captured my brain and the heart of my muse and here I sit now and every single idea I get for Angelina is with a Slytherin… I have to ask Adrian in the next weeks how he felt about Angelina in Hogwarts. Maybe I can get him somehow to tell me_…thinks to herself_ _what could I use to get it out of him?..._

**Mistress of the Red Kiwi**: well than… get excited! ;)

**

* * *

Chapter 11**

**Honeymoon **

The sun let the moon reign over the sky sooner with every passing day. The last leaves on the threes changed their colours from the deepest greens to all kinds of autumnal ones. Yellow, orange, red, brown…

The past weeks had passed faster than Angelina had imagined. After the reception Adrian had become what Julia understood as a hero. A prince on a white horse. And Angelina often had the feeling as though her younger sister wanted her to see him as one as well. She always tried to talk about him when Angelina tried to teach Julia something. She always asked if the prince in a fairytale looked like Adrian and the princess like Angelina. And always Angelina tried to get that picture out of Julia's mind. Of course it didn't work.

Denton Weatherfly had – opposite of what Marjory had said daily to Adrian – not been heard of again. As Angelina had found out from Dyson, the man was in high favour with the Dark Lord. And Adrian had been called to him late one evening not two days after the reception. She had been worried when he had walked away and Marjory's repeated tales of what punishments her son could face now had made her flee to the sanctuary of her bedroom.

He hadn't told her much about what had been said when he had been called. But he had gotten away. It seemed as though the Dark Lord was growing tired of Weatherfly anyway and he didn't care much about his life. He only had called Adrian at all because he had to believe that Weatherfly was still protected from the Dark Lord.

The reception… It seemed as though a year had passed in the meantime and not only a month.

"Why have the two of you not been on a honeymoon by now?" Sophia suddenly asked one evening she had dinner with them.

"They spent some days in Argentina, this should be enough." Marjory said bored.

"_Nonsenso_. Nonsense! They should have a **real** honeymoon!"

"Grandma, the season is about to start in less than two weeks, I can't leave the country now." Adrian interrupted Sophia calmly.

"That still leaves you a week. And Julia will make holidays with me, won't you?"

Julia was obviously thrilled by the offer and looked immediately to Angelina.

"Please?" She asked and smiled sweetly at her sister.

"Tuscany is very beautiful at this time of the year. Well, it is always beautiful…" Sophia said nonchalantly and smiled innocently at her grandson while she cut the meat on her plate.

"I guess you have already booked a hotel for them?"

"Ts… only you could think of a hotel! They will stay in my father's house of course. It is empty save for the house elves, so they will spent the honeymoon like it is supposed to be spent: alone."

"We can't say no anyway, can we?"

Sophia smiled at Adrian.

"No."

* * *

Julia was sitting on her bed, Teddy in her arm and hopping up and down.

"You can barely wait to leave me, hm?" Angelina asked her smiling while she packed Julia's dresses in a trunk. Julia stopped her hopping and looked seriously at her older sister.

"No." she whispered and pressed the teddy bear close to her chest. Angelina turned around at the earnest tone in her voice. She kneed down in front of the bed and took her sister's face in her hand.

"Julia, I was only joking."

Julia nodded slowly and then a smile appeared on her face.

"Will you have a baby when this milkmoon is over?"

Angelina's eyes widened at this.

"It is _honey_moon and how did you get the idea of me having a baby when the honeymoon is over?"

"I asked Dyson what people are doing in this moon and he told me that they are making babies." She said proudly.

"How do you make babies?" she asked and frowned while Angelina thought of different ways to kill Dyson.

* * *

The wind let the leaves of the threes rustle and one could hear birds singing their songs. A squirrel ran over the ground, a nut in his mouth, and rushed towards its three.

"Your grandmother was right, it is beautiful here." Angelina said when they walked along the path towards the mansion in Italy on an October afternoon.

"And you haven't yet seen the town she loves so much." Adrian replied and opened the front door. The house was perfectly clean. There was no sign that it hadn't been occupied for some years now. The house elves had really done a spectacular job.

When Adrian had showed her the house it was already completely dark outside.

"We should go to bed. And tomorrow I'm going to show you the town."


	14. Happy Birthday

Sorry, I now I wanted to post last week, but I just couldn't write anything. My muse seems to be in some extra-long summer holiday…

I'm just going to say a quick THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed this time, since you already had to wait so long for the update. (answers to questions in the reviews are answered at the end this time).

**

* * *

Chapter 12 **

**Happy Birthday**

Angelina was lying on her stomach, the blanket just covering her bottom, leaving her legs and back free.

She felt something soft touching her neck, then her shoulder – the left one and then the right one – and then her back, slowly moving down.

Angelina opened her eyes lazily and looked at Adrian's chest.

"Finally awake?" she heard him ask before he kissed her back once again.

"What time is it?" she tried to stifle a yawn and turned around to lie on her back.

"Almost noon." Adrian replied and stroke with his fingertips over her stomach.

"How about we spent the rest of the week right here, in bed?" he asked when she shivered under his hand.

"Didn't Sophia tell you to show me the town?"

"Yes, but she will go and show it to your sister anyway when they come over at the end of the week and then we could just go with them. And until then, we could try for that baby…" Adrian's mouth closed around her nipple, his eyes looking at her face while he sucked gently.

"Adrian!" Angelina gasped while his hand left her stomach to wander underneath the blanket and moved between her open legs. She took his head in her hands and pulled him away from her breasts.

"How about a compromise then… I'll take you to Lucca for dinner. But until then…" his lips met hers and he heard her murmur an approval before his tongue conquered her mouth. Angelina let her hands fall from his face and brought them to his chest.

She ran her hands over his body, feeling his muscles tighten underneath them. Her foot moved slowly over his leg, trying to coax him to lie between her legs.

"And I almost believed you that you'd rather go to Lucca…" Adrian murmured as her hands reached his hips, her fingertips tracing small patterns on his skin.

"You're talking too much…" She said against his lips, but Adrian only touched hers lightly before he kissed his way over her cheek and to her ear.

"And I thought you like it when I talk…"

Angelina moaned, not sure whether it was of his words or the contact his body finally made with hers. Adrian's lips glided over her neck and he pulled her sensitive skin between his teeth when he finally sank into her.

She threw her head back and arched her back; her hands on his shoulders; her legs wrapped themselves around him trying to get even closer to him, to be one with him.

He seemed to sink deeper and deeper into her with each single thrust. Each touch their lips share seems to weave their souls together. And each single kiss of his hands on her body and her hands on his body seems to burn their bodies and create a new one – a single body – out of their two.

And in this rare moment of time, as their hearts beat together in the same rhythm, as their souls united and their bodies melted together, the life that was within her feed from this union, became stronger and stronger, and grew; prepared itself to live it's own life more and more.

_

* * *

One week ago: _

"_Wood, my office in five minutes." __Adrian__ didn't see the worried looks the rest of the team send their keeper while he walked back to his office._

"_Well, we did find it odd for him to accept you seeing his wife every now and then so easy." One of the chasers said silently as they watched Oliver walking inside the building. He walked into the office and closed the door behind him wordlessly._

"_I don't like you seeing Angelina so often…" _

"_And I don't like you being married to her, but that's nothing either of us can change, is it?" Oliver interrupted __Adrian, his head held high, his eyes full of his will to fight._

_Adrian merely raised his eyebrows before he glared at the quidditch player._

"_Actually I could change what I don't like but that is not the reason I wanted to speak to you."_

"_Then what is the reason I'm here?" Oliver asked bewildered._

"_As much as I hate to admit it, I need your help."_

"_Why?"_

* * *

Sometime during the afternoon, Adrian had taken Angelina to the small town his grandmother loved so much. 

He had shown her the old town wall – the longest in Europe after the fall of the Berlin wall – which was overgrown with grass, the Guinigi-tower with its trees on top, the former amphitheatre which was now home to several families and of course some of the churches in Lucca.

Now they were sitting at a table in a romantic restaurant in Lucca.

"_Buona sera_." The waiter greeted them and handed Adrian the menu cards.

"You look surprised." Adrian said smiling to Angelina when they were left alone.

"I have to admit that I'm surprised that we actually made it into the town."

"It's not as though you complained when it took us a bit longer to come into the town." He replied grinning and Angelina looked down at her card to hide the blush that she felt rising in her cheeks.

Oddly enough she didn't feel like a married woman having dinner with her husband. As the waiter brought their wine and dinner she felt more like a teenager at the very first date – on a very expensive first date but a first date nonetheless.

* * *

"_Your parents and Angelina's were good friends, weren't they?" __Adrian asked and Oliver was even more confused._

"_Yes, they were, but I still don't see what you want from me."_

"_Not much, just a favour – for Angelina's sake."_

"_And what would that be?"_

* * *

The week did pass very fast. Probably due to the amount of time Angelina and Adrian spent in bed – not that she was about to complain – She had enjoyed every second of it. 

Angelina opened her eyes slowly and stretched. It was way too early to be up already. Silently she wondered when she had started to become so lazy. _It must almost be noon._ She thought and yawned heartily.

"Good Morning."

Angelina turned around to see Adrian – very much awake – smiling at her.

"And happy birthday."

Angelina frowned slightly at this.

"I didn't think you'd know."

Adrian shrugged and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"There's a present for you lying on the nightstand." He said silently and watched her as she sat up, the cover held against her chest, and took the package from the nightstand. She unwrapped the bow and took the lid off of the box. A thin paper laid over the actual gift and Angelina lifted it slowly before she took the folding three-way-picture frame in her hands.

She gasped when she saw the three pictures it contained. She looked at each single one of them and then back at Adrian.

"How… how did you…"

"I asked Wood. I figured when his parents and yours were close he might have some pictures of them."

Angelina felt tears gathering in her eyes when her gaze fell on the pictures again. She didn't know what touched her more about the present, the fact that he had thought of giving her something to remember her of her parents, or the fact that he had asked Oliver for a favour for her.

"Do you like them?" Adrian asked and ran his thumb over her cheek, brushing the tear that had emerged her eye away from her skin.

Angelina smiled and nodded silently as she looked at the pictures. The one in the middle was from her parent's wedding. Her mother looked so beautiful in her wedding dress, and they both looked so very much in love.

The picture in the right frame had been taken only a few years later. Her mother sitting in an armchair, her father on the armrest and herself, only a few weeks old then, lying in her mother's arms.

But the one she loved most was the one on the left side. This one, she could actually remember being taken. She had just left Hogwarts and instead of going home she had gone to the hospital immediately after she left the train. Her sister had been born that day and the picture showed all four Johnsons in the hospital room.

Angelina turned her head to look at her husband.

"Thank you." She said and pulled his head towards her own.

"You don't know what this means to me." She whispered just before their lips touched. Adrian gently pushed her back onto the bed and carefully put the picture frame and the box it had been in on the nightstand before he covered Angelina's upper body with his own.

"Angie! Where are you?"

Adrian groaned against her mouth when they heard Julia calling her sister.

"I'll thank you tonight." Angelina promised when they let go of each other and left the bed to get dressed and have lunch with Sophia and Julia in the town.

**

* * *

TriGemini: **(I just have to say this) When I read what you said about Sophia I couldn't help but remember Yoda's fighting scene in Star Wars: Episode II (where he walks in, leaning on a cane then fights better than anyone else and leaves again leaning on the cane :D) 

**Bratski**: I LOVE the sims (my neighbourhood is filled with HP-Characters :D

**Angelina-fan**: I'm definitely going to write an Angelina/Montague fic (I'm planning to write one after KfaR – just need a good idea, but with my muse being on holiday…). But I don't think I'll ever write an Angelina/Draco story. I just can't see them together. I'd always see the kid-Draco with grown-up-Angelina… no, not good… I guess I better stay with the Slytherins who are her age or older than her…

**Xmusecliox**: I think I've seen the hoover in a tv-show here in Germany once (it didn't work… was really funny, there was a 'race' between a woman who is quite prominent in Germany for … lets say speaking what she thinks when she thinks with the dyson-hoover against a comedian who looks like he's still living in the 80's with a normal (german) hoover. The man won. Dyson didn't work at all, in the end, the guy was cleaning up the woman's part too :D… but I really didn't think of the hoover when I decided on the name. I was just browsing on a page with names and searched for old English names for the males in the story and Dyson just happened to be one of them… (and I picture him better looking than a hoover ;p)


	15. Visitors

So, here's the next chapter. It's not that much, but at least I'm able to write on (finally!)

**Rupert's honey**: Thank you.

**Mistyqueen**: Thank you.

**TriGemini**: Oh yes, Adrian thought very hard on the present (now he needs to think of something even better for Christmas …)

**Paixamouretchocolat**: Thank you.

**Slag**: Thank you! I'm glad you like the story so far!

**Angelina-fan**: Thank you!

**NotJustLikeAnybodyElse**: Aww, thank you! I think I've just grown a few inches!

**Knockout2**: Thank you!

**Nikki**: The baby, well… it is closer than you think!

**Angelface04**: Well, Olli will have to wait a bit before he has another 'real' appearance.

**Slymon**: I hope this doesn't count as 'too long' since the last update…tries to update more regular again

**Tiarwen**: Thank you thank you thank you thank you….

**Akura.b.w.f**: To be true I've never thought of that pairing at all….does there exist anything about it?

**Bratski**: Yes, it definitely is:)

**Rkom1147**: Of course there's a next chapter. (well, here it is already) and there will also be more chapters coming…

**

* * *

Chapter 13**

**Visitors**

Adrian looked out of the window in his office and watched the first snowflakes of the winter falling silently while he thought about the past weeks. The start of the season had been as good as he could have wished for. So far, the Ballycastle Bats had won each game.

Angelina and Julia had of course accompanied him to all the matches and Julia had – just as it was expected with her family background – liked Quidditch immediately.

After the first game Angelina had congratulated Oliver as well as thanked him for his assistance in the birthday present. Julia had stayed at Adrian's side, eyeing the other man suspiciously, watching his every move as he talked to her sister.

Adrian was brought back from his thoughts when the door to his office opened and someone entered.

"I hate December! Why has it to be so cold?" Camille asked Adrian and smiled sweetly at him.

"Camille, what do you want here?" Adrian asked and to judge by his voice he was anything but pleased with seeing her.

"Oh Adrian, is that a way to greet a friend?"

Adrian didn't reply but merely raised his eyebrows at her when she came forward and took of her hat and gloves before she sat down on one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"I came to give you a friendly advice." Camille said and smiled her sicken sweet smile at him.

"I can't remember having asked you for advice in anything."

"See, and still here I am, offering it to you." Camille said and stroke her hand over her skirt as though to smooth some imaginary wrinkles.

"What do you want Camille?"

"Oh Adrian, I don't want anything. How can you think so ill of me? As I said, I came to help you. There have some very unpleasant truths about your wife come to my notice."

"And what _truths_ might that be?" Adrian asked in a tired voice, hoping she would leave soon.

"I've learned that she has been a stripper and a prostitute while she lived in Argentina. Did you know that? No, of course not. You would never endanger your families reputation by marrying a cheap whore." She looked at him from underneath her lashes before she continued.

"And so I decided to come here and tell you the truth about her. It's always better to here this from a friend than… lets say read it in the newspaper one morning, don't you agree with me? Under the given circumstances I think even your dear grandmother will agree to a divorce – or better yet, an annulment of this marriage. Just imagine the scandal should anyone find out about your wife's former…profession."

Adrian narrowed his eyes at the woman in front of him and slowly lifted himself up from his seat, his hands resting on the desk.

"Leave. And stay away from my wife and my family. I won't let you continue telling lies about Angelina."

Adrian's voice wasn't showing any signs of his anger and thus Camille didn't think of believing his threats at all. But she did understand that Adrian was not going to get rid of his wife so easily. This bitch must have cursed him or something, for there was no other explanation for Adrian to choose her over Camille.

"Why would you want to stay married to her? What could she possibly possess that I don't have twice as much of? Or do you just enjoy having your personal whore?" Camille asked furiously, every sign of her smile gone from her face. But Adrian still stayed absolutely calm, only his eyes narrowed more when he spoke.

"Camille you couldn't compete with her if your life depended on it. Angelina has dignity, intellect and most of all a heart. To make it short, she has everything you lack. And you would do better to leave my office this instant. Go and spread your venom somewhere else!"

"That's not all there is. There is another reason why you hold onto her."

"None you would ever understand and now leave or I'll have you removed from this stadium."

This time Camille did as she was told and left but not without promising herself to get her will, one way or another.

When the door closed behind her Adrian sat down and tried to repress his anger. But the fates seemed to think he could need some more visitors today. Or at least one more visitor.

"What have you done to Camille? I swear I've never seen her almost running somewhere."

"If you have pity with her, how about you marry her. She would be the perfect wife as my mother so often told me." Adrian greeted Marcus when his old captain walked into his office.

"No, thank you, I know less cruel ways of ending my life."

"Why are you here?" Adrian asked, wanting his solitude back as soon as possible.

"I came to remind you of the dinner next weekend."

"Still not found a way around that one?" Adrian now asked with something like a smile on his face while Marcus glared at him.

"No, my parents made sure that this tradition would not die with them. So, remember eight o'clock." When he saw the look on Adrian's face he stopped.

"You aren't thinking of staying away, are you? You have to come. And if you only do it for your wife. Think of all the amusing stories we could tell her."

"That is exactly one of the reasons I don't want to come. I remember very well when Higgs brought his wife for the first time to your annual dinner."

Marcus grinned and leaned back in the chair.

"Ah, sweet memories… Does your wife already know about your fifth year? Or rather that one special day in your fifth year; when you saw Johnson kissing one of those Weasels and drank so much fire whisky that you threw up in the end? We had never guessed how hard your crush on her was. But I have to admit, even better than seeing you lying there on your bed murmuring some unintelligible words was knowing that the Weasels had to serve detention because Montague had told Snape they had put something into your drink at dinner and that that was the reason you had thrown up."

Adrian's eyes had narrowed more and more while Marcus retold that old story.

"She will never hear about this!"

"Ah, come on, I'm sure she'd like it."

"You won't. Or I will tell anyone of that 'incident' in your first seventh year…" At this Marcus's grin vanished and both knew that no one would ever tell Angelina about this.

* * *

"Are you sure that your wife is even able to have children?"

"Good evening mother." Adrian replied as he entered the house.

"I tell you, had you married Camille, she would for sure be already pregnant by now."

"Mother, please…"

"Your Cousin Maitland and his wife, Felicienne, are expecting a child in about six months. And you know what it'll mean if they have a boy!"

Adrian wasn't really listening anymore as he climbed the stairs. He walked towards his bedroom and opened the door. The first thought that came to his mind was '_such heavenly silence!'_. But then he saw Angelina lying in bed.

"Are you unwell?" he asked and came to her side of the bed.

"It's nothing serious. Just a cold, the flu at most." Angelina said and smiled tiredly at him.

"Nothing a few days' rest won't heal."

Adrian frowned at this and felt Angelina's forehead.

"I'm going to have a doctor looking at you tomorrow." He decided and stroke over her hair.

"That's not necessary." Angelina assured him but Adrian's mind was already set.

"I would feel better if a doctor saw you and you won't leave the bed until he told you it's alright to."

Angelina shook her head and rolled her eyes at this exaggerated protectiveness.

"Promise me." Adrian urged.

"I promise." Angelina replied, way too tired to argue now and closed her eyes to go back to sleep.


	16. Meeting Old Friends

Now, this is one of the chapters I've been waiting to write since the idea for the story found its way into my mind…

**bRaTsKi**: Are you sure about that? ;p

**TriGemini**: About Camille and Marjory realising Adrian's feelings for Angelina: I guess you can't see something in the behaviour of other people that you yourself know nothing about and don't understand. That's also the reason for Sophia to want her grandchildren marry out of love – because that is what she experienced herself. And of course Camille and Marjory will plan some more, but they won't stay the only problem :D Well, I tried everything I could think of (I even begged to hear it and that means something coming from me) but neither Adrian nor Marcus wanted to tell me what exactly happened in Marcus' first seventh year. But I won't stop trying to find it out ;)

**NotJustLikeAnybodyElse**: Since this time, I'm answering reviews before writing the chapter; I can only say I'm trying to make it a longer one.

**Knockout2**: Thank you!

**Angelina-fan**: You don't really expect me to let Camille go just now, do you? No, Camille is still needed for a little while…

**Slag**: No, no, no. No Camille murdering! At least not now, I still need her a bit. But as soon as she has had her really mean climax you can kill her in whichever way you want.

**Ashliegh**: How Camille knew? She is bad, bad people can find out everything! And yes, of course Adrian knows about the real truth of Angelina's past. After all, he got her out of that horrid place. And I can promise you, Camille will never ever poison Angelina. Never ever!

**Anonamos**: I'm glad you like it!

**Nikki**: 'a bun in the oven' lol and I always thought proverbs are always different in two languages :D (the answer to that question is a few lines below)

**Rkom1147**: Thank you!

**Tiarwen**: Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!

**Mistyqueen**: The reason for Angelina's sickness is revealed a few lines below.

_**IMPORTANT**: _I need a good first name for Montague. I've been thinking of one for weeks already and searched my name book as well as several sites on the net but I just couldn't find the 'right' name for him. So I'm asking you for one.

I would really like some 'old fashioned' name but it should still sound good. But you can tell me ANY name you can think of for him. Please. I need it really soon, because I'm already writing a fic and right now I'm using a replacement and colour it, so I know where I have to change it afterwards and it is really annoying to read something that is just not his name when you try to write. So please, I'm begging you (and I rarely do something like begging), please, tell me names that you picture do fit to Montague.

**

* * *

Chapter 14**

**Meeting Old Friends**

"I just want you to remember one thing before we go in. Believe not even half of what either of the guys is saying." Adrian told Angelina when they were standing in front of the entrance of Marcus Flint's home.

"Ah, you're exaggerating Adrian." Said Dyson on Angelina's other side.

"Most of what they're going to say is true." He grinned over her head at Adrian who was now glaring at his older cousin.

"And you will tell me as soon as you feel tired or weak or anything and we go home immediately."

"Adrian…"

"I know, the doctor said you were fine and had in fact only had a cold but he also said you shouldn't be out in this weather so often because you first needed to get used to it again."

Angelina sighed but said nothing anymore. She was glad the doctor had done as she had asked him and not told him what had really been 'wrong' with her. With the way he was behaving right now he would have probably tied her to the bed had he already found out she was pregnant.

Adrian knocked and the door was opened to reveal a young man with dark hair. He bowed slightly and led them inside.

"Mr. Flint is in the dining room." he said and motioned for the door. Angelina was more than perplexed. It was highly unusual for wizards to have servants. House elves were used for the same tasks and were not needed to be paid.

"Why does Flint has a servant?" Angelina asked Dyson while they walked towards the dining room.

"He's not a servant. He's a slave."

It took her a moment to understand what he had just said and she was just about to ask him more about it when she remembered what Oliver had told her about the war and what had happened to those who had lost. A shiver ran down her spine and she was glad that the Puceys had still house elves and no slaves.

* * *

Angelina was actually thinking of telling Adrian that she was feeling a bit odd and that maybe they should really go back home. Besides Herself, Adrian and Dyson Flint had invited 15 more people, making it a rather small dinner – at least for the standards of the wizarding high society – but that didn't mean it was a pleasant one.

The stories Adrian and Dyson had been talking earlier were actually the best part about this whole evening. The wives of some of Flint's friends were a lot like Camille. Smiling sweetly while the smile never reached their eyes. But one thing they didn't what Camille always did – they barely spoke.

Angelina couldn't remember having ever felt more uncomfortable in her life – safe for the times she had to strip during the past four years – and she wanted to run as far away from here as possible. But for now, she decided, the bathroom would have to do. And so she excused herself and asked Marcus for the direction of the bathroom.

Adrian reached for her hand before she could arise from her chair and looked at her asking.

"I'm fine." Angelina assured him and walked out of the dining room and to the bathroom.

Silence. Peace. Just for a few minutes, but it was enough for her. She sighed contently when she closed the door of the bathroom behind her and moved to stand in front of the mirror.

Her hands moved automatically towards her stomach – as they had done often in the past few days when she had been alone. There was nothing to be seen yet and she silently wondered how long it would take before the dresses she had, like the pale blue one she was wearing right now, would be to tight for her.

A small smile found its way to her face at the thought of a baby growing inside of her. She remembered her mother's radiant face when she had told her about Julia. She could fully understand how her mother had felt then. If only she could be here now so she could tell her about it.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and reached for the locket around her neck.

"I wish you could be here now." She whispered to the empty room. She craved to stay for a bit longer, not at all wanting to go back to the dining room. But she knew she had to go back. And so she took one last look at the mirror and left the bathroom again. But she didn't make it back to the dining room.

"Angelina!"

Angelina stopped immediately when she heard her name being called. But it was not the fact that someone called her that made this invisible fist clench around her heart, it was the voice that called her name what did that.

She turned around slowly, not really wanting to see him standing there. She didn't say anything when she looked at him. He looked at her with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"What… what are you doing here?" he asked confused. Still she didn't say anything. He had been haunting her dreams for the past years and now she saw him standing there. Just a few feet away from her. A slave in Flint's home.

"Angel…"

"Don't call me that!" she managed at last. He didn't react but walked closer to her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked again just before he had reached her. He looked her up and down. Took in her complicate hairdo and the expensive dress.

"The dinner…" he spoke more to himself than to her. Then his eyes rested on her face.

"Why… Whom did you come with?"

"Adrian. Pucey." She wanted to leave. Wanted to turn around and run away. But she couldn't. She was frozen on the spot, unable to move, barely able to breath as this icy fist clenched her heart even more.

"Why..?"

How dared he to question her as though he had any right to know what she did? He had lost any right to know anything about her years ago. And still she found herself answering.

"Because Flint invited us and so it is only natural for me to accompany my husband…"

"Husband… no way. You two can't be married!" He said and suddenly he looked no longer confused but rather angry.

"Why, do you think if you didn't marry me, nobody else would either?"

"I DID want to marry you, you know that!"

"Ah, right, it was your mother who was against it… _'You won't marry her. She doesn't fit in our family. She is…you won't marry her, do you understand me'_" she imitated Molly's voice.

"Don't you talk about my mother like that!"

Angelina shook her head at him, too angry herself now to think of anything to reply and finally found herself able to move again. She turned around and was about to walk back to the dining room but before she could make one step she was turned back towards him.

He held her arm tightly in his hand as he looked down at her.

"You're really his wife? The wife of a death eater? Of a murderer? Are you now going to become just as prejudiced as they are!"

"You are the last one to talk about prejudices Frederick Weasley! After all it was _your _family who was against you marrying someone who's black. And you didn't even have the courage to stand up for me. Now let me go!" she tried to yank her arm free from his grip but his fingers just dug deeper into her skin.

"You better do as she said Weasel or I'll demand Flint to make sure that you never again touch anybody or anything!"

Angelina turned her head and saw Adrian standing there in the hall. He was perfectly calm and only the look in his eyes betrayed how he really felt. Angelina felt Fred's grip on her arm loosen and without looking back at him she hurried towards Adrian who put his arm protectively around her waist.

He lead her back to the dining room but only to tell Marcus that they had to leave since Angelina seemed still to be a bit weak from the flu.

* * *

Angelina stood silently in front of the mirror, trying to get the pins out of her hair. She could see Adrian walking up behind her and reaching with his hands up to her head to take the hair pins out himself. Now, her hands had nothing to do anymore and she let them fall to her side, trying not to burry them in the fabric of her dress.

Adrian watched her reflection in the mirror and saw how she stared at the floor, carefully avoiding his gaze. He leaned his head forward and kissed her neck while he took the last of the pins out of her hair, letting it fall free over her back.

"I always knew the Weasels were fools, but I'd never thought that one of them could be fool enough to let someone like you go." His arms went around her waist and pulled her back against his chest.

"I want you to stay away from him." He whispered and continued to watch her face in the mirror.

"I don't want to see him again anyway." Angelina replied just as quietly as he had spoken.

"Would you if he were free?"

"No." Angelina told him softly as lifted her gaze and met his eyes in the mirror.

"When we came back to England and your mother demanded you sent me away you refused. He wouldn't have… he didn't."

"Angelina…" Adrian turned her slowly around to face him. His hand moved towards her face and pulled her gently closer until he met her lips with his own. When his tongue moved past her lips Angelina thought that this had to be the tenderest kiss she had ever received.

Adrian's hands glided to her back and he unlaced her dress, letting the fabric fall from her body to the floor. Adrian's shirt and trousers followed it soon and only moments later they were standing naked in front of each other. Their hands caressing the other one while their lips met again and again.

Adrian picked his wife up in his arms and carried her to their bed. He laid her slowly down on the blanket and covered her body with his own. His lips found their way from her lips down over her neck to her breasts, pulling one of the tight little buts in between his teeth and sucked on it.

His fingertips ran over her skin, so lightly, she almost couldn't feel it. They wandered over her legs, parting them gently and moving north again, until they vanished between her dark curls.

Angelina moaned his name and Adrian let go of her breast to return to her lips. He kissed her softly, his tongue moving slowly, just like his fingers, letting her know that they had all the time in the world and he planned to use as much of this time as possible to show her just how glad he was she was his.

His lips caught her moan when she came yet he didn't still his movements. He took his time. His hands and mouth moved slowly and tenderly over her entire body before he finally gave in to her plea and became one with her.

Her arms and legs moved to entwine themselves around his shoulders and waist, to keep him from escaping her again. But now that he was inside of her no one would have been able to make him leave this place anyway.

When she dug her fingernails into his shoulders and arched her back from the bed she didn't know how often she had already screamed his name that night and she thought she wouldn't be able to talk tomorrow. But as their eyes met again and he kissed her gently before he lay down next to her she thought the price had been worth it.

* * *

"_Angelina? Are you alright?" Alicia asked her friend worriedly. Angelina was sitting at the window and shrugged._

"_It feels like he's leaving me, not only the school." She admitted sadly._

"_Oh Angie, don't talk like that! You can see him again, anytime you want." Alicia tried to reassure the other girl. When she looked at Angelina's face she saw the tears running over the dark skin and did the only thing she could think of in this situation. She pulled Angelina into a hug and let her cry against her shoulder._

_1111_

"_Oh Angel, I wish I knew what to say to make it better." Leila Johnson was sitting on the edge of her daughter's bed, her hand stroking over the shaking back of the crying young woman._

"_There's nothing to make it better!" Angelina cried._

"_I thought he loved me, mama!"_

_Leila leaned over her child and kissed her head. _

"_One day you will find someone who really loves you Angel." She whispered._

"_I don't care! There is no love! It doesn't exist! I won't believe in it anymore!" Angelina sobbed and buried her head deeper in the pillow. Leila Johnson sighed and continued to stroke her daughter's back. _

"Angelina. Angelina, wake up."

Angelina jerked into a sitting position and looked around.

"You had a nightmare." Adrian said softly and Angelina lay back against the pillow. Adrian waited for her to turn her back to him and go back to sleep. But instead of doing this he suddenly found her laying her head on his chest, her right arm next to her face.

Adrian sighed silently and put his left arm around her waist, holding her close to him, hoping it would help her against the nightmares.


	17. A Woman's Heart

First of all: SORRY! I know it took me really long again and I don't even start to talk about all the reasons for the delay. And second: SORRY! Because although I took a long break this chapter is really, really short! The reason for this though you will see in a few wee.. no, wait, in a few days! And I hope then you'll forgive me.

Well, since it is no longer 'allowed' to post responses to reviews here, I just want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed the last chapter (I hope this is still allowed…)

**

* * *

Chapter 15**

**A woman's heart**

"What are you doing?" Adrian asked Angelina while he watched her fingering a red glass heart that usually stood on the chest of drawers.

"Remembering something Alicia once said." Angelina replied and looked over her shoulder at Adrian, who was just getting dressed for the day.

"About what?"

"About hearts. She said that a woman's heart is made of glass. If she gets hurt, it doesn't simply break," Angelina turned around to face him, the glass heart in her hands. She let the sculpture slip through her fingers. It shattered on the floor, the sound of breaking glass loud in the silent room.

"It shatters into a million pieces." Angelina ended.

"Is there a chance to get such a heart back together?" Adrian asked her and walked slowly to her and the broken glass.

"Maybe if someone has enough patience, sensitiveness and love. But there are some pieces which are so small that they won't be put back into the heart because they are lost forever." Angelina looked at the fragments on the floor and pulled out her wand to put the heart back together. Adrian held her hand and shook his head.

"Let me mend the heart." He whispered and Angelina swallowed at the look in his eyes.

"I… I should look for Julia." She pulled her hand away from his and hurried out of the room to start with Julia's daily lessons.

* * *

"Aw, it's so cute to watch you with your sister."

Angelina turned around when she heard Camille's voice behind her. Julia moved closer to her sister, obviously not liking Camille's presence at all.

"What do you want?" Angelina asked her calmly and put a reassuring hand on Julia's shoulder.

"Talking." Was Camille's only reply. She smiled slightly as she sat down in one of the armchairs in the library.

"About Argentina." Camille's smile brightened as she noticed how Angelina tensed up at the mention of the country she had spent the past years in.

"Julia, would you please wait in your room for me." It was more of an order than a question and Julia did as she was told although she glanced back at her sister worriedly before she left the room.

"What do you want?" Angelina asked again as soon as she was sure that Julia was out of earshot.

"I'll make it short: I know all about your past. Where you lived, what you did, everything. If you don't want anybody to find out of this you better leave Adrian. If you don't by tomorrow morning everybody in Great Britain will know that you are nothing more than a little whore." Camille looked at her icily.

"Look at it this way: you can leave on your own, or Adrian will throw you out as soon as he finds out the truth about you. So, will you leave him?"

"No." Was Angelina's only reply and it surprised herself how calm her voice sounded although she was trembling inside. Camille's eyes narrowed while she watched her. A false smile found its way to her face as she arose from her seat.

"Fine. I hope you have a good night because it will be your last one in this house." And with this words she left Angelina alone in the library.

As soon as the sound of her shoes on the floor couldn't be heard anymore Angelina felt herself sliding from the couch onto the floor, her knees hitting the ground as her hands reached for her stomach. She leant her head against the couch just in time for the first tears to start running down her cheeks.

* * *

This night the nightmares came back to haunt her and once she woke up from them, Angelina was unable to go back to sleep. And so she went down to breakfast the next morning, with less than four hours of sleep.

Marjory was already sitting at the table when Angelina, Adrian and Julia came into the dining room and she seemed rather cheerful this morning. Still, Angelina couldn't shake off the feeling, that the woman's eyes rested on her, as if waiting for something.

And she didn't have to wait for long.

As soon as an owl brought the newspaper Marjory asked her son whether there was something interesting in it. The smile she sent Angelina while she asked this let shivers run over the young woman's back. And when she looked at Adrian's expression while he read the front page of the Daily Prophet her worst fears were confirmed.

Suddenly they heard a sound coming from the hall and the sound was followed by footsteps coming towards them. The door to the dining hall opened and revealed Sophia Pucey standing there, the newspaper in her hand looking furiously from one person in the room to another.

"Would someone care to explain this!" she demanded but before she could ask Adrian he had already thrown the newspaper onto the table and was now hurrying out of the room, not listening to his grandmother as she called him back.

Sophia's eyes found their way to Angelina.

"I want to talk to you. Now!" With this she turned around and walked back into the hall, waiting for Angelina to follow. Angelina arose slowly from her chair and walked outside of the room, but not, without noticing the smile on Marjory's face.

Sophia led Angelina into the library and told her to sit down on the couch.

"I think I deserve to know the truth, don't you? So, is this article true?"


	18. The Truth

I'm really sorry that it took me so long to post this, but after finishing the calendar in the middle of December (finishing the writing part) I was caught in the stress for Christmas with getting last presents and stuff like that and having a test for a job, then between the holidays there wasn't really the urge to write in me and the first week in January I had again a job interview which held my mind occupied.

Then, to top all of this I often felt the wish or urge or whatever to write leave me at all. There are several reasons for that (and writing about them would only bore you and take away too much space) and I already decided that after finishing KfaR I will take a break from writing and only post again if I've got a story finished, so I won't be under the pressure of writing because I don't want to disappoint you by not updating in time.

To be true, looking at the plan for KfaR and seeing that there still are some chapters coming after this one made me all 'Oh no, when is it finally done'. However, I promise I will finish the story and I will write it as best as I can right now, so I hope I won't disappoint you with this.

**

* * *

Chapter 16**

**The Truth**

"_I think I deserve to know the truth, don't you? So, is this article true?"_

"I… I haven't read the article." Angelina began and tried to keep her eyes on Sophia's face.

"Okay, then let's make this in another way. Is it true, that you were working in a brothel in Argentina? That you had sex with men for money? That you tricked Adrian into marrying you? That you are having an affair with some old love?"

Angelina didn't even know what she felt as she heard all those accusations. She wondered how Camille had managed anyone to write such things.

"It's not… not really true."

"And what about it is true?"

"It is true that I was in a … a kind of brothel in Argentina. But I wasn't there willingly and I didn't sleep with anyone…"

Angelina let her gaze drop to the floor as she told Sophia her – and Julia's – story. Once or twice she looked up into the old woman's face but she couldn't make out how Sophia reacted to what she heard. When Angelina had finished she looked at Sophia expectantly.

"What about this affair?"

"I don't know whom they're writing about. I'm not having an affair." Angelina wasn't surprised at how defeated her voice sounded, she was more surprised that she could still talk.

"When we first talked, you said you wanted to have children. Was this a lie?"

"No." whispered Angelina softly, her hand wandered automatically to cover her stomach.

"If you want me to leave now, I understand. I'll just go and…"

"What do you feel about my grandson?" Sophia asked her as though Angelina hadn't said anything. Angelina sighed heavily before she answered.

"I haven't changed my thoughts about love. I don't believe in it. But I feel a lot for Adrian. As much as I could. He is one of the three most important people in my life."

"May I enquire as to who the other two are?"

"Julia of course and…" Angelina couldn't keep a small smile from finding its way to her face. "And my unborn child."

Sophia's eyes fell to Angelina's stomach and for several moments neither of them spoke. Then Sophia's eyes looked back into Angelina's brown ones.

"One thing I want you to always remember, Angelina. You, and your sister, are part of my family, no matter what. We will find a way to solve this." _'I just wonder why Adrian left so furiously when he knew the truth.'_ She thought as her eyes went back to Angelina's stomach.

Suddenly they heard Marjory's voice from the hall.

* * *

"You are going to get that divorce immediately! You should have married Camille as I told you all along! Then we wouldn't have that scandal now and I'm sure you would be a father soon! How could you even think about marrying such a person?"

Adrian turned to his mother, trying to cool down his anger before he would say or do something he might regret later.

"Angelina has something very important that Camille will always lack: a heart!"

He could see the fury on his mother's face but she wisely kept silent as her son walked towards the library.

* * *

When he entered Angelina immediately noticed how tense Adrian was and she felt fear taking over her as he excused the two of them to his grandmother and took her hand, pulling her out of the library after him.

"Angie?" She heard Julia's voice when they reached the staircase. Angelina turned around and saw Dyson holding her sister in his arms. Angelina smiled encouragingly to her sister and followed Adrian upstairs.

They entered their bedroom and Adrian closed the door with such a force that Angelina was surprised it stayed in the frame. She watched Adrian as he made his way to the window, looking out as though he was trying to find something there. What, she didn't know.

When he finally turned back around to her after what seemed to be an eternity Angelina tried to fight the urge to step back, seeing the coldness in his eyes. And though she succeeded in not stepping back, Adrian noticed her nervousness and his gaze softened.

He walked slowly towards her and stopped right in front of his wife. His hand reached for a lock of her black hair and he slowly wrapped it around his finger, his eyes not even leaving his hand as he finally spoke.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and caused Angelina to frown.

"What for?" She asked him confused. Adrian's eyes wandered to her face until they met her own. His fingers let go of her hair and his hand slowly moved away from her as well.

"Camille came to the stadium. She told me to either leave you or…"

"It's not your fault." Angelina interrupted him and forced herself to keep looking into his eyes.

"She came here yesterday. She told me she knew all about my past and everyone in the country would find out should I not agree to leave you immediately." Now she did avoid his eyes, fearing that he could find something in there she herself wasn't sure about yet.

"Did you go to see Camille?" She asked then, still confused about where he had gone to so fast after seeing the newspaper.

Adrian shook his head slowly as he took in what she had just told him. Camille was lucky that he hadn't gone to see her, and he wasn't sure why he didn't leave again immediately and _visit_ her. Angelina's questioning eyes brought him back from his thoughts.

"No, I went to my lawyer. The newspaper will print a rectification tomorrow. After admitting that the only source of information was Camille and they had no proof at all they pretty soon gave in. Camille will pay for that article though." He said. He shook his head again to clear his mind.

"I guess my grandmother wanted to know the truth?"

Angelina nodded and sat slowly down on the bed. She hadn't noticed just how tired she already was. And she forced the thought of it being only noon out of her head. She didn't want to think that the day was only halfway over.

"What did you tell her?"

"The truth." Angelina whispered and looked up at Adrian, the fatigue visible in her eyes.

"She deserved it." She ran her hand over her face and sighed.

"I should look for Julia. Don't want her to be scared." With this she arose from the bed and headed to the door. Adrian held her back by her hand and turned her back around to him. He stood close to her and leaned his head down so his cheek rested against hers.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this." He whispered into her ear. When Angelina pulled away she smiled tiredly at him.

"I've been trough worse in the past years." And with this she left the room. Adrian was left alone in the bedroom, staring at the door through which she had just left. His right hand clenched into a fist. Should anyone hurt her again, he would kill that person.


	19. Merry Christmas

Sorry, I have no idea what problems had I just know that no new chapter was showing until (here) in the morning (so at least I wasn't the only one it didn't work for).

**Chapter 17**

**Merry Christmas**

Angelina walked through the crowded street of Diagon Alley, trying to avoid anyone as people were rushing by while they tried to get the last Christmas presents.

She reached with her hand into her pocket and touched the soft fabric she felt inside. Relieved to find it still there she dodged a young woman who was rushing through the street, moving that her stomach showed away from the woman. She should have taken Dyson up on his offer to accompany her but she had wanted to keep what was inside her pocket a secret and she wasn't sure whether or not Dyson would have been able to not tell his cousin anything.

Two hands on her shoulders brought her out of her thoughts and she looked up to meet a pair of brown eyes looking down at her.

"Oliver."

"Are you alright? You look tired." Oliver said and frowned down at her. Angelina smiled up at him and shook her head.

"Just tired of this crowd here. I was trying to get somewhere from where I could apparate home."

"How about we have a cup of tea together before you head home again?" Oliver asked her and Angelina didn't have to think long about it before she agreed. They went into a café and sat down at a table by a window.

"How have you been in the past weeks?" Oliver asked her after they had ordered each a cup of tea. "I read those articles in the Daily Prophet." Angelina sighed and looked down at the table.

Adrian's meeting with his lawyer had been a success. The Daily Prophet had posted a verification on the front page the next day. Camille had to pay dearly for the article. Just this morning Dyson had told them that her family had sent her to Siberia to marry a friend of her father. Her family saw no way to get her back into Britain's society after she had caused such a scandal.

"Angel? Are you sure you're okay?" Oliver asked her worriedly. Angelina looked up again and nodded.

"Yes, it's just, about the article… I …"

"You don't have to say anything about it."

"Don't you want to know if it was true or not?" Angelina asked silently.

"No. Whatever it was that you went through in the past years, I know you don't want to talk about. If you ever need someone to talk to about it, I'm there for you, but I won't press you for any information on it."

Angelina smiled relieved and took Oliver's hand in her own.

"Thank you."

"That's what friends are there for, right?" he smiled back at her.

* * *

"I can barely remember what Christmas was like." Julia whispered while she stood in front of the huge Christmas tree. Angelina kneed behind her and moved her arms around her sister to hug her. 

While she watched the decorated tree she could exactly remember how Christmas had been with her parents. Could remember the scent of biscuits and the fir filling the house, the rooms she wasn't allowed to go into before Christmas because her presents were hidden there, the anticipation when she had to go to bed and could barely bring herself to sleep because she didn't want to miss Father Christmas. And then, the next morning she had woken up and the floor around the tree had been covered in presents from Father Christmas.

The last time she had celebrated Christmas with her parents had been five years ago. Before the war. Before her parents had died. Before…

"Looks like the Christmas angels have appeared early this year." Dyson's voice brought her back from her thoughts. Angelina arose and turned around to greet him. His nose and cheeks were red and he was rubbing his hands together.

"Why didn't you just apparate here?" she asked when he took off his scarf and his coat.

"Because I like being outside at this time of the year." He said and smiled at Julia before he lifted the girl into his arms.

"I could already smell the snow today." He spoke matter-of-factly and Julia beamed when she heard this.

"Do you think we will get real snow for Christmas? Real white snow? I can't remember snow. Have I ever been in the snow?" she asked Angelina.

"Yes, I remember Dad built you a snow house right before Christmas."

"Can we build one when it really snows?" Julia asked and looked pleadingly at her sister.

"Of course. I just fear we won't manage to make it bigger than you are this time." Dyson put Julia down again and they watched her as she ran out of the room calling back something about her going outside and smell for herself for the snow.

"Where's Adrian?" Dyson asked as he turned back to Angelina.

"In the library."

Dyson nodded and headed out of the room as well.

* * *

Angelina wasn't sure what had woken her up. It certainly wasn't Adrian for he was still lying sound asleep behind her with his arm around her waist and his face buried in her hair. So she kept her eyes closed and listened trying to hear something that was out of the ordinary. But there was not a single sound. 

When she finally opened her eyes she almost hit Adrian's face with her head. Julia was standing next to the bed, her teddy in her arm and a big smile on her face.

Angelina gazed at the clock and when she saw where the hands were she fought down the urge to curse. It was too early for her to be awake. Maybe it was just her having gotten used to sleeping long, but right now seven o'clock sounded like the middle of the night to her.

"Julia, what…" she whispered and cleared her throat. She wasn't even awake enough to speak yet.

"It's Christmas." Julia beamed at her sister. "And it has snowed!"

Angelina could hear Adrian groan against her neck at this early waking call.

"You said we could build a snow house." Julia reminded Angelina of her promise and looked expectantly at her. Adrian slowly lifted his head from his 'pillow' and looked at Julia.

"You know, when I was your age the last thing on my mind on Christmas morning was the weather. I was way too occupied with opening the presents. Has this changed since I was a child?" He wondered, the last sentence directed at Angelina while Julia's eyes grew wide.

"I get presents?"

"'Course. Father Christmas came here just after you've gone to sleep and left about a zillion packets all with your name on them."

If possible, Julia's eyes grew even wider and her mouth opened slowly. But she soon closed it again and frowned, obviously thinking hard about something. Finally she came to a decision.

"Can we make the snow house _after_ the presents?" she asked Angelina and looked apologizing at her older sister. Angelina fought hard to fight a grin.

"Of course."

Julia hurried to the door and was almost out of the room before she turned back around.

"Aren't you coming?" she frowned at the couple in the bed.

"Just give us five minutes." Adrian promised her and Julia nodded before she closed the door. She sat down on the staircase and waited impatiently for five minutes to be over.

Adrian kissed Angelina's shoulder and pulled her closer to him, taking pleasure in the warmth of her body against his.

"I guess we better get up then." He murmured though he made no move to get out of the bed.

"Yes, but therefore you have to let go of me, so I can leave the bed." Angelina told him and finally, under protest, Adrian did so.

Luckily Julia had no idea how long five minutes were – other than they were very long today – and so she didn't notice that it took Angelina and Adrian almost ten minutes before they emerged the bedroom to head downstairs with her.

* * *

Julia had opened all her presents and was already playing with them when Angelina handed Adrian a small wrapped package. 

"What is it?" he asked and looked asking at her.

"Open it." Angelina said and noticed that her hands were sweating when Adrian opened the present.

"We will need them in a few months." Angelina told him while he stared at the small shoes in the box. His eyes moved back to her face and for several seconds he only stared at her.

"We're getting a baby?" He finally managed to ask.

"Well," Angelina started "Actually I'm the one who'll grow fat, get mood swings and have to press the baby out of an opening that is too small but I guess that means, yes, we're getting a baby."

Adrian's eyes dropped to her stomach and swallowed. He would be a father. A smile tugged at his lips. He would really be a father. Angelina watched him closely and saw the smile spreading over his face, not only reaching his mouth but his eyes as well. And though she didn't know it yet, the nightmares that had been part of her for the past four years would never return to her at nights.


	20. The Storm

Well, since one can consider the last chapter as the calm before the storm I thought it was a perfect way of naming this chapter. Hope you'll enjoy.

**Chapter 18**

**The Storm**

"And I guess you have also already planned when we will do it?" a whispering voice asked into the darkness.

"He is meeting with some of his friends at Saturday. It is the perfect opportunity."

"It's supposed to snow again this weekend." A third voice whispered.

"All the better. Then they can't track us." The second voice answered just as quietly.

"Where shall we go to?"

"Leave the country. As fast as possible."

"I need to go somewhere first." The first voice spoke up again.

"Where to?" But he didn't receive an answer.

"Don't tell us you want to see that woman!"

"This is none of your business!"

"Hey! Be quiet!" Another whisper interrupted them.

"What do you want with her? She's married with one of _them_!"

"I know that there's more to that marriage! She wouldn't stay with someone like that if she had another chance! He has her under some spell or something!"

"Sure. Whatever you say."

"Stop it! Or do you want to stay here?" He was met with silence.

"Hadn't thought so." He mumbled and with that the conversation was over.

* * *

Angelina frowned at her reflection and pressed her hands against her stomach. Adrian watched her from the bed and sighed. 

"You're far from being fat."

"I'm not _far_ from being fat. I will be fat in a few weeks. And it won't only be my stomach; my arms and legs will swell with all the water and I will end up looking like a balloon." She whined.

Adrian closed his eyes and counted slowly to ten before he opened his eyes again.

"I thought you said the mood swings should have happened in the first months." He murmured. As it seemed, her hearing had increased with the pregnancy for she turned away from the mirror and glared at him.

"Well, I didn't know I was pregnant then. I have a right for my mood swings and the want to eat everything I can think of. And since I couldn't do this before I have to do this now."

"Is this some female logic?" He knew he shouldn't have said that as soon as Angelina's mood changed from whiny to angry. She had her hands on her hips and glared dangerously at him. Adrian sighed and arose from the bed, slowly walking towards her.

When he stood in front of her he put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him, leaning his forehead against hers while he looked into her eyes.

"You are not fat. You won't be fat." Angelina opened her mouth to speak but he silenced her with a gentle kiss.

"You are beautiful. And you will always be beautiful." He whispered against her lips.

"I won't be beautiful once I carry a ball in front of me." Angelina replied half-heartily.

"Of course you will." Adrian smiled. He kissed her once more and guided her slowly to the bed. He lay down on it and pulled her gently on top of him, never leaving her lips while he did so.

"Adrian…" Angelina sighed but it was obvious she wanted to say more. Adrian released her lips and looked expecting at her.

"I want chocolate."

"Chocolate?" he asked disbelieving.

"Chili chocolate." She confirmed and kissed him one last time before getting off the bed.

"Chili chocolate." Adrian repeated, still not sure he had heard right. But the pleading look in Angelina's eyes was not something he was able to resist. Now all he had to do was find out where the hell he would find some chilly chocolate. He would be lucky if he could find some at all in Europe he guessed.

* * *

"I still can't believe we really came here! I can already see us getting caught because this idiot can't see that his whore has become one of them!" 

"She's not a whore!"

"Shut up! Both of you!" The speaker turned to face the man who had first spoken.

"Let him go and see her Dave, and then we're gone." He turned to look at the other man now.

"And you, be silent for Merlin's sake! You want to talk to that woman, good, but don't make any noise! I'm not letting myself be caught over some woman who decided against you!"

"She hasn't decided against me!" The reply came through gritted teeth.

* * *

Angelina stopped on her way out of the living room when she heard something outside. She reached for her wand and slowly walked towards the glass doors that lead outside. As soon as she had opened the door she saw a movement to her right. She turned around and found herself face to face with

"Fred! What are you doing here!"

Fred grabbed her arm and tried to pull her towards him.

"We're leaving the country."

"We?"

"Yes. We. Come on, Angel, I know you don't want to be here – with him. I know you better. He must have some kind of spell or…"

Angelina pulled her arm away from him and took a step back.

"Are you completely out of your mind? In case you have forgotten, I left you years ago! I'm certainly not going anywhere with you! And now leave!"

"Fred, come on! We have to go." One of his friends called to him from the darkness. Fred turned again towards Angelina and grabbed her arm a second time.

"I know that's not you talking. I know you don't want to stay here!"

"Fred, leave this instant!"

"I know you don't want to be here!" He insisted again.

"Fred, either you come this moment or we'll go without you!"

Hearing this Fred did the only thing he could think of. He pulled Angelina close to himself and put his hand on her mouth to keep her silent. He took the wand away from her and moved his other hand around her waist when he started to pull her along with him.

Angelina could feel her necklace falling from her neck into the snow as she tried in vain to get away from Fred. She took a desperate look back to the house as she was dragged along.

* * *

"What?" Dyson asked when Adrian stopped as soon as they entered the house. 

"Something's wrong." His cousin replied.

"What do you mean with that?" Marcus asked behind him.

"I don't know what it is. But something is definitely wrong here!" Adrian walked slowly through the hall, not sure what exactly he was looking for.

"Angie?"

Adrian turned around and looked at the top of the stairs where Julia was standing in a nightgown, her teddy in her arm.

"Julia, where is your sister?" Adrian asked, the feeling that something was wrong increasing. Julia only shrugged and came downstairs.

"She isn't in your room." she yawned and clutched her teddy to her chest.

"Adrian." Dyson called from the living room.

Julia followed the men into the living room and walked to stand beside Adrian when he stared at the open glass doors. Adrian took a few steps out into the snow and reached down to take the necklace into his hand.

"Adrian?" Dyson asked him as he watched his cousin staring off into the distance.


	21. Blood

**Chapter 19**

**Blood**

"Adrian?"

"Dyson, can you stay here and watch Julia?"

"Adrian, what…"

"I have to find her!" Adrian said and turned to his cousin, the necklace in his hand.

"I don't know what exactly happened here, but someone must have kidnapped her and I have to find her!"

"You don't even know where she is. How long she's been gone. There's nothing to be seen in this snow!" Marcus said and tried to keep Adrian from running out of the house immediately.

"She can't be gone that long. And they will have headed for the woods, where they can't be seen immediately. So that's where I'm going."

"You can't go alone." Dyson tried to reason with him as well, but he could tell that Adrian's mind was set.

"I'll come with you." Marcus told him and together they headed out into the darkness.

* * *

It was cold. That thought played itself over and over in her mind. The hem of her dress was reaching the snow as Fred dragged her along and every now and then the fabric hit her legs, sending shivers through her body. She could barely feel her hands anymore and she could clearly see the breath of Fred and his friends in the moonlight.

She knew she held them back with her constant attempts to flee Fred's arms, but she never succeeded. Now her only hope was that Adrian wouldn't stay out too long and that he would notice her missing and find the doors open when he returned. He was the only hope she had to get back home now. And she clung to that ray of hope as she tried to not think how it must feel to freeze to dead.

"You should have left her there! They will catch us! And all because you have gone mad!" one of Fred's friends told him angrily and Angelina had the silent hope that they would leave her now. She would somehow manage to find her way back home. And she needed to get out of the cold soon. The snow that kept falling started to soak her hair, she could already feel some of the wet strands clinging to her skin. Her eyes hurt from the cold and her teeth chattered underneath Fred's hands. She wanted to be home, in her bed, next to Adrian and not out here in the cold with some lunatics.

* * *

"Do you have any idea who could have kidnapped her?" Marcus asked through gritted teeth as he tried to keep from shaking. No one would be out in this weather if they had a choice.

"No. I could think of some people who would like to hurt her or me, but they would use more subtle ways to do so."

"Like Camille?"

"For example."

"Just remind yourself that this weather here is what she has most likely in summer."

Had he not been so worried, Adrian would most likely have smiled at that, but as it was, he could only think of Angelina. Where she was, who had taken her. And he blamed himself for not protecting her. For not being there when she had needed him.

"Have you thought of the possibility that whoever has taken her has just apparated somewhere nice and warm like, say, Hawaii?"

Adrian stopped and held his hand up to keep Marcus from talking.

"You hear that?"

"Hear what? All I can hear is the storm …"

"There were voices. This direction." And Adrian was already heading to where he had heard the voices.

* * *

"Ouch!" Fred pulled his hand away from Angelina's mouth and she managed to free herself also from his arm around her waist.

"What did you do that for?" Fred asked her and looked at his hand.

"Are you crazy?" Angelina asked him irritated.

"I want to go home. I WILL go home this instant!" She was about to turn around when Fred grabbed her hand and yanked her around.

"I know you're lying, Angie. I know you still love me." He looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Can't you see that this is our chance to be free? We can leave together and live a happy life together."

"You really are mad. I would never leave with you!"

"Angie."

"Stop it Fred."

"Will you two shut up!" Dave turned to face Fred who kept staring at Angelina as she turned away from him.

"I told you it was a mistake going after her." He took a step to Angelina and turned her around by her shoulder.

"Oh no, you won't go now."

The tension of the evening left Angelina as her rage needed a way out of her body.

"Let go of me you son of a …"

"Shut up you bitch!" Dave slapped Angelina, causing her to fall to the frozen, snow covered ground.

"You like to spread your legs for those deatheaters, you little whore?" Dave asked angrily and kneeled down in the snow next to her, not caring how cold it was as he started to reach for her skirt.

"Dave!"

"Shut up Bryan! She is a bitch, so she should be treated as one."

Bryan let out a curse while Fred stared paralyzed at Angelina's unmoving form. His eyes looked straight at the thin red trail that showed in the snow next to her temple. The moonlight shone on her blood as he saw her eyes trying to focus on something.

He saw Dave being hit by a ray of green light and falling on the ground next to her when he had been about to fully uncover her body from her skirt. He felt himself being pulled away from Bryan and followed him.

Angelina heard something falling into the snow next to her and then she saw Fred running away. Only this time, she felt no pain at being left behind by him. If only it wouldn't be so cold…

Just as she thought this she was being picked up by a pair of strong arms. She felt Adrian kissing her head as he pulled her closer against his chest. When he turned around, her gaze fell to Marcus, who was kneeling on the spot where she had been laying moments before. He looked at the man – Dave – who was lying in the snow.

"Is he…" she whispered and tried to look into Adrian's eyes.

"He was hurting you." Was the only reply she got from him. Her head ached. She couldn't remember having been in such a pain before. Or maybe it was the cold that increased the feeling.

"I didn't want to leave." She tried to say but it was barely audible. When Adrian tried to find out what she had said she had already become unconscious in his arms. And so there was nothing for him to do but carry her back home and hope and pray that she was alright. The thought of her not opening her eyes again was more frightening than he had ever thought possible.


	22. Every new Beginning is some Beginnings

I apologise in advance for I fear the chapter is a bit rushed (although it took me long enough to write it). But I had to rewrite it and I didn't find a good point to break the chapter in two parts besides close to the end and there wouldn't have been any sense in breaking it up before the last paragraph.

**Chapter 20**

**Every new Beginning is some Beginning's End**

Adrian was lying in bed, watching his wife sleep as the first birds sang their morning greetings. The first rays of the May sun fell on Angelina's sleeping face, causing her to turn her head away from the sun. Adrian smiled gently down at her and stroked a strand of her hair out of her face.

He thought back to the cold January night in which he had almost lost her. He could still feel the fear reaching for his heart at the memory of her lying unmoving in this bed, barely breathing. She had never talked about that man he had killed in the forest. She had never asked whether Fred and his friend had escaped. And Adrian was grateful for that. He didn't want to tell her what he had done. Yet he couldn't bring himself to feel guilty over it. He had had a promise to keep. And he had kept it.

Angelina sighed in her sleep as she tried in vain to lie on her side. Adrian's eyes wandered to her stomach. The pregnancy was more than obvious now and Adrian could barely keep his hands from her stomach. He wanted to feel every single kick of the baby. Wanted to hear every heartbeat from the child. Never had he expected to feel this way.

* * *

Marjory Pucey was pacing her room as she reread the letter from her sister-in-law. Felicienne's first child was expected any day now and should it be a boy…

Her grandchild had to be born soon. There had to be a way to make it happen sooner. There had to…

* * *

"Is this right?" Julia let Angelina look at the words she had written and looked expectantly at her.

"Yes, you're getting better at this every day." Angelina smiled and stroke through Julia's hair. When her sister bent over the paper to write the next words Angelina brought her hand to her stomach and frowned. The baby had never before moved so much that it hurt as it did now. She reached for the cup of tea a house elf had brought her before and emptied it, hoping the tea might calm the child down. Unfortunately this wasn't the case.

* * *

Marjory was sitting in the library reading a book when she heard Julia's scream. She called for her personal house elf and ordered it to call the midwife. Then she set her book aside and hurried upstairs to the girl's room where her daughter-in-law was teaching her sister.

She opened the door and saw Angelina kneeling on the floor, holding her stomach, her sister sitting in front of her with tears in her eyes as she asked over and over again what was wrong with her. The cup lay broken on the carpet next to Angelina's legs.

Marjory held Angelina's shoulders and told her to get into bed. She helped her to lie down on Julia's bed and told the child to leave the room, saying this wasn't a place for her now. But Julia didn't leave until Marjory herself ushered her out the door and closed it behind her.

Then she turned back to her daughter-in-law. Angelina was tossing around on the bed, her right hand clutching her stomach while her left one gripped the blanket she was lying on. Sweat was forming on her forehead, keeping a few strands of her black hair against her skin.

Angelina knew there was something wrong. Terribly wrong. There was still a month until the birth. Yet she was sure that the water had just broken. She couldn't remember having ever felt such a pain in all her life. This couldn't be the usual labour pains. This was far worse than any labour pain should be. It wasn't just in her stomach anymore. The pain was taking over her whole body.

She wanted to scream but no sound would come out of her mouth. It was as though she was fighting against her own body. And she feared she was going to loose that fight.

Through the veil of tears in her eyes she could see that the door was opened and heard Marjory talking to someone. Then she saw the person, a woman, walking closer to the bed and frowning down at her. Angelina could hear that she said something to Marjory but she could barely make out the words that were spoken. All she could here was 'not move' 'keep calm' and 'endanger the child' and only seconds later she felt her arms and legs being bound to the bed posts.

Now the tears were running freely down Angelina's face. And for one moment she even whished she would die. If this was what it took to take this pain away from her.

* * *

"Adrian!" Julia threw her arms around his waist as soon as Adrian entered the house.

"Julia what is wrong?"

"Angeli… Angelina… she is… I don't know… she was teaching me and…" Julia was trying to speak through her tears but Adrian was already running upstairs. He stormed into Julia's room and the sight that greeted him let his blood run cold in his veins. Angelina was lying in bed as though she was dead. Her wrists and ankles were bound to the bed posts while a woman was running her hands over Angelina's stomach.

"Adrian. What are you doing in here?"

He turned around to see his mother standing at Julia's desk, watching him with wide eyes.

"This is no place for a man. It's woman's work."

Adrian only glared at her before he hurried over to the bed and pulled the midwife away from Angelina.

"ADRIAN! The baby is about to come any moment now. Let the woman do her work, she knows what she's doing!" his mother told him and tried to pull him out of the room.

"WIKI!" Adrian called and at the same time pulled his arm out of his mother's grip. A house elf appeared before him and bowed down.

"What can Wiki do for Master?"

"Get a real midwife immediately. And call for Dyson, he shall take care of Julia."

The house elf nodded and disappeared again. Adrian pulled the midwife towards the door of the room and shoved her out towards the stairs.

"You will leave this house this instant!" And with that he closed the door to Julia's bedroom and hurried back to Angelina's side.

"Adrian. What do you think you are doing?" his mother asked while he released

Angelina's wrists and ankles.

"If you felt it necessary to be bound when I was born I'm really sorry for you, but I won't let Angelina go through this archaic method."

"But the child…"

"Will come no matter if she is bound or free." Adrian interrupted her and took Angelina's hand in his own.

Her eyes seemed so empty, as though she wasn't even there. Adrian swallowed the lump in his throat. He wouldn't allow himself to think like that. Just because the baby was early and his mother had made a wrong choice in a midwife didn't mean there was any more danger here than with any other birth. And Angelina was a strong woman.

He looked at the door when it was opened and the midwife he had called for walked into the room. The woman went immediately to Angelina's other side and frowned at her face.

"I need water." She said while she rolled her sleeves up and put her hand on Angelina's forehead.

"Warm water and some towels as well as blankets."

Adrian called for a house elf and the midwife repeated what she needed. She opened Angelina's eyelid and felt her pulse at her wrist, her lips becoming a thin line when she saw the red marks on the young woman's wrists. Her hands moved to Angelina's stomach and she pressed gently on it, trying to feel the child.

Angelina whimpered at the additional pressure from the outside and turned her head into the pillow.

"Can you hear me?" The midwife asked Angelina and squeezed her hand to get her attention. A weak nod was the only response she got.

"You have to press now." The midwife said but Angelina shook her head as more tears rolled down her cheeks. The midwife frowned and nodded slowly.

"Where do your priorities lie?" She asked Adrian, her eyes cold as they bore into his.

"What?"

"I'm not sure how this will end. It might very well be that we loose one of them. So, who shall it be, the woman or…"

"Make sure you save that child!" Adrian's mother interrupted her. But the midwife didn't listen to her, her eyes still fixed on Adrian's face.

"Adrian, tell her she shall save the child! I didn't get this potion for nothing!"

The midwife could see the colour leaving Adrian's face as he turned to his mother.

"What potion?"

"Felicienne could have a boy any day now! Something needed to be done. So I did what needed to be done!"

Adrian looked back down at his wife. Her face showed the pain she was in, her hand lay motionless in his, and the feeling he had never wanted to feel again came over him all over again. He couldn't loose her!

He looked back at his mother, who wisely took a step back when she looked into his eyes.

"You will leave my house NOW. I don't care where you're going to. You will never step into this house again. You will stay away from Angelina. Should I ever hear that you did as much as look at her I swear I will forget that you are my mother."

Marjory's eyes widened but she didn't say a word in response. She turned around and left the room, left the house she had stayed in for most of her life.

When the door closed behind his mother Adrian turned back towards the midwife. He felt tears gathering in his eyes as he squeezed Angelina's hand tightly.

"Save her. I don't care what you need to do. I can't loose her." He stopped when he felt the fear taking over him. He wouldn't be able to live without her.

* * *

"Dyson." Sophia walked into the hall were Dyson and Julia were sitting on the stairs.

"Ah, grandmother, you missed the best part of this day. Marjory has just left the house – forever as it seems." Dyson said, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"How is…" Sophia didn't finish the sentence, afraid to scare Julia. The girl's eyes were so red there was no question what she had been doing the past hours. Dyson shrugged and ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't know. They're in there for hours that's all I know. I…"

"Did you hear that?" Julia suddenly asked and arose from her seat.

"What?" Dyson asked her.

"There was a scream."

Sophia brought a hand to her heart and looked worried at Dyson.

"_Dio mio!" 1_

Dyson was about to run upstairs when there was a second scream. And this time all three of them heard it clearly. And the worried expressions on Sophia and Dyson's faces made place for a smile.

"The baby." Dyson whispered and picked Julia up.

"You heard that? It's the baby. Everything is alright now!"

* * *

"It's a girl." The midwife announced and went to wash the child and wrap it into the blanket.

"I'm sorry." Angelina whispered so quietly that Adrian almost couldn't hear it.

"For what?" He asked and ran a hand through her hair.

"It's not a boy." She replied exhausted. The midwife handed Adrian the baby and again touched Angelina's stomach.

"Look at her. She must be the most beautiful baby that has ever been born." Adrian told Angelina and gently stroke over his daughter's cheek. He looked back into Angelina's eyes and smiled at her.

"It's not a boy." She repeated and closed her eyes as though in pain. Adrian worriedly looked at the midwife who was once again pressing on Angelina's stomach.

"It's alright." The midwife announced and Adrian held the baby so Angelina could see her face.

"Look at her and tell me how I could wish for anything more than for you two." He whispered and kissed her lips gently.

"Adrian… I…" she stopped as another wave of pain shot through her.

"Angel, stay calm. Nothing you can't tell me after you had some rest."

But Angelina shook her head slightly and smiled at him.

"I need to say it now." She started and reached with her hand for his face.

"I love you." She whispered when her fingers were running over his lips before she let them fall onto the blanket her daughter was wrapped in.

"I love you too." Adrian told her just as quietly as she had done. But the moment of peace was interrupted by yet another wave of pain that had Angelina almost sitting up in the bed.

"You said everything is alright!" Adrian almost screamed at the midwife while he held his daughter protecting in his arms.

"Everything is alright. Most of the potion has left the body already, so it's only natural that now she is reacting more to the second child."

"Second…child?"

The midwife looked at him and nodded. Adrian looked at Angelina but she seemed just as surprised as he was himself. Their daughter started screaming while her sibling found its way into this world and about twenty minutes later the two screamed together as though trying to find out who was the loudest.

* * *

The midwife almost stepped back into the room when she opened the door and saw Sophia, Dyson and Julia standing in front of it. She nodded at them and left the door open for them to enter while she left the house.

Julia ran into the room and was about jump onto the bed and hug her sister when she saw her smiling at her. But she stopped as soon as she was the two small bundles lying next to Angelina in her bed.

"Come here Julia." Angelina called her and Julia walked slowly closer to look at the two babies who were wrapped into two white blankets.

The one closest to Angelina opened its mouth and yawned when Julia looked down at them.

"They are so tiny." Julia whispered, even though she wasn't sure why she was whispering. It just seemed wrong to be loud in here.

"You were just as tiny when you were born." Angelina explained her smiling. Julia looked at her with big eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly, still remembering how she had collapsed hours ago.

"Yes, I'm fine." Angelina reassured her and stroked her cheek.

"Can we come in?" Sophia asked from the door and when Angelina nodded walked towards the bed to look at her great-grandchildren. Dyson smiled at the babies and waved at them.

"Hey babies, I'm your great-uncle." He said to them and Sophia watched amused while he made faces at the babies.

"You know that they could as well be your children Dyson, don't you?"

"No, they could certainly not be his!" Adrian said and glared at them.

"You know what I meant." Sophia said and rolled her eyes at her grandson. But she couldn't hide her smile. It was good to see him so happy. And the looks he shared with Angelina told her that this whole 'I-don't-believe-in-love'-nonsense was finally over for them.

"What are their names?" Julia asked and carefully touched the black hair that already covered the heads of the babies.

"The one you're stroking is Sophia Leila." Angelina said and looked at Sophia as she said this.

"Like mama." Julia smiled when she heard the girl's second name.

"You gave her my name?" Sophia asked surprised.

"Marjory was out of question." Adrian replied and his grandmother gently patted his shoulder.

"And this little tired baby is Michael Esmond." Angelina said and smiled down at the baby that was lying directly next to her. Sophia reached for the baby boy and held him in her arms.

"So you are my heir." She smiled down at him tenderly but the only response Michael had was another yawn.

"He seems not interested in money at all." Dyson smiled as he touched the boy's little hand.

"It would be awful should he already be interested in it." Sophia replied.

"And I hope many years will pass before he is interested in it. I'd hate to see him grow into a man who wants me dead as soon as possible so he can get his hands on all the money."

But Sophia's fears were unnecessary. In fact, many of her silent and not so silent hopes she still saw happening. She was still very much alive when Dyson found himself a young woman he fell in love with and whom he married and started a family with. She still saw Julia finishing school and getting married herself. And she also saw her great-grandchildren leaving home to go to school.

Sophia Pucey, nee DiAngelo, died twelve years later on an evening in late February while the last rays of the sun shone onto the first snowdrops in the garden. And all the money and estates were the last thing on Michael's mind while the eleven-year-old and his sister Sophia picked the late-winter flowers to put them onto their great-grandmother's grave.

And yet, Sophia had been smiling when she had died. She had been smiling at the knowledge that she would be united with her husband. And at the knowledge that the only child of her youngest son had found something that most people take for granted while it is the most special thing in the world: Love!

The End

* * *

1My god! 


End file.
